The debate was on a Conservative opposition motion about the economy, which said Canada has the worst economic performance in the G7, including a recession, high household debt, high housing costs and high unemployment, and called on the Prime Minister to present a plan to undo his government’s economic policies. Conservatives said Canadians are struggling to afford food and housing, that businesses face taxes and regulations that discourage investment, and that the Liberal government mishandled an economy they inherited in good shape in 2015. Liberals said the country is not in a recession, citing falling rents, rising household wealth, growing exports and trade agreements, Canada’s credit rating, and cost-of-living supports. Bloc Québécois members said the recession debate misses the point, pointing instead to falling exports, weak productivity and low investment, damage to trade relations with the United States, and difficulties in Quebec’s forestry sector; they also objected to the government limiting debate time. Some discussion touched on trade history, research facilities, and exchanges about members’ speeches and the Prime Minister’s absence.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .
“Criminals are using artificial intelligence to run scams that target seniors and families who are already struggling. The government must act quickly to block scam calls, hold banks and online platforms accountable, and help victims recover their money.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member talked about AI, which I want to talk about. We know that Canadians right now are facing rising costs and economic uncertainty. Financial fraud is even becoming a greater threat, and it is not being talked enough about today. Organized crime is using AI-generated scams for deepfakes, spoof calls and fake investment schemes to target people already under financial pressure. A record amount of fraud is impacting seniors in my riding who are losing their life savings. Families are being defrauded, and victims are often left to recover on their own. Protecting Canadians requires urgent government intervention: blocking scam calls, holding financial institutions and digital platforms accountable, ensuring that victims have access to support and recovery services, and growing the scale and urgency of this problem at a time when every dollar counts. When will the Liberals finally combat fraud using the measures they have, as a key tool in protecting Canadians’ financial security and economic well-being?”
Mr. Speaker, the member talked about AI, which I want to talk about. We know that Canadians right now are facing rising costs and economic uncertainty. Financial fraud is even becoming a greater threat, and it is not being talked enough about today. Organized crime is using AI-generated scams for deepfakes, spoof calls and fake investment schemes to target people already under financial pressure. A record amount of fraud is impacting seniors in my riding who are losing their life savings. Families are being defrauded, and victims are often left to recover on their own. Protecting Canadians requires urgent government intervention: blocking scam calls, holding financial institutions and digital platforms accountable, ensuring that victims have access to support and recovery services, and growing the scale and urgency of this problem at a time when every dollar counts. When will the Liberals finally combat fraud using the measures they have, as a key tool in protecting Canadians’ financial security and economic well-being?
“Our government takes artificial intelligence seriously. We are the first government to have a minister in charge of it. We want to use this technology safely, protect Canadians, and get the most benefits from it, including using it to point out flaws in Conservative ideas.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that this is something the government takes extremely seriously. This is the first government to have a Minister of Artificial Intelligence who is directly overseeing how we can safely implement artificial intelligence, which is inevitably going to make its way through society, and how we can safely do that in a way that protects Canadians but still sees the maximum potential that can come from this technology, including when that potential uses the opportunity to critique opposition motions from the Conservatives.”
Official Hansard
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that this is something the government takes extremely seriously. This is the first government to have a Minister of Artificial Intelligence who is directly overseeing how we can safely implement artificial intelligence, which is inevitably going to make its way through society, and how we can safely do that in a way that protects Canadians but still sees the maximum potential that can come from this technology, including when that potential uses the opportunity to critique opposition motions from the Conservatives.
“I support this Conservative motion. Canada is in a recession because of ten years of Liberal waste, high debt, and bad management. The Prime Minister must present a real plan to fix the economy.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to note that I will be sharing my time with the member for Newmarket—Aurora. I rise today in the House to support the Conservative motion calling on the Prime Minister to take action to deal with the recession. I do so with a deep sense of responsibility, but also with great concern for the economic future of our country and that of our children and our grandchildren. The facts are unequivocal, stark and beyond dispute: Canada is in a recession. The motion tabled today makes that clear. It calls on the House to recognize that the Liberal Prime Minister has given Canada the only economy in recession in the G7. The current Prime Minister has the unenviable distinction of being the only leader among all our partners to have led his country down this path. While our international partners are tackling global challenges with resilience, Canada is sinking. The Liberals like to hide behind flowery words and their speeches. They call this situation a technical recession. Let us be very clear: There is absolutely nothing technical about this. There is nothing technical about a family having to choose between filling up the gas tank and buying groceries. There is nothing technical about the thousands of workers who have lost their jobs, while our country now has the second-highest unemployment rate in the G7, one-third higher than that of the United States. There is nothing technical about people seeing their dream of home ownership vanish forever because this government’s policies have led us to the highest housing costs in the G7. What the Liberals call a technical anomaly is in reality a crisis of their own making, caused by their own decisions that are suffocating the public by creating the highest household debt in the G7. This is very bad news for Canada, for Canadians, for Quebeckers, and for the people of Beauce, as my colleague would proudly say. People from coast to coast to coast need a strong economy and a government that supports it, rather than weakened Liberals. Unfortunately, I am not surprised. No one on our side of the House is surprised. This recession is not just happenstance or the result of unpredictable international circumstances. It is the direct result of a decade of Liberal mismanagement. After 10 years of this government, Canada’s federal debt has more than doubled, soaring from $616 billion to $1.473 trillion. This Liberal government has racked up more debt on Canada’s credit card than all previous governments put together. The Liberals have flooded the economy with printed money, triggered an inflationary crisis and made life more expensive for everyone from coast to coast to coast. The economy is suffering, and Canadians are being left to foot the bill. Where is the Prime Minister’s leadership while our economy is collapsing? What is his response to this major crisis affecting Canadian families? It is silence. The Prime Minister has not said a word about the recession. He refuses even to utter the word. He refuses to face reality. He refuses to answer Canadians’ valid questions. Instead of presenting a serious economic plan, he prefers to look the other way and feign ignorance. This silence is an insult to workers who are losing their jobs and to families who are asking for only one thing: leadership. The Prime Minister has chosen to hide behind his ministers and stock phrases. His lack of public comment on the matter demonstrates a complete disconnect and a profound disregard for the economic hardship Canadians are facing. Let us talk about the Liberals’ disastrous mismanagement and its devastating effects. While ordinary Canadians are being forced to stretch their own budgets and food banks across the country are seeing record demand, this government continues to squander taxpayers’ money on misguided projects, crony contracts and inefficient bureaucracies. Public funds are being managed as though there were no obligation to be a good steward. Let us look at a few flagrant examples of this waste. First, let us consider the ArriveCAN scandal. This app was supposed to cost $80,000 and ended up costing $60 million. Worse still was the Cúram fiasco, which was supposed to cost $1.75 billion and ended up costing $6.6 billion. In the most recent update, the government added an additional $500 million for this system. That is a cost overrun of over $5 billion. Who is paying for that? It is Canadians. It is those who work hard every day. It will be our children and grandchildren who will pay for the Liberals’ mismanagement. That is a national disgrace. The list goes on. I spoke about this next example already this week. A private company is leasing a plot of land from the provincial government for $13,500. That company then turned around and sublet the same land to the Liberal federal government for $20 million a year on a 10-year contract, for a total of $200 million. That is $200 million out of Canadians’ pockets for a plot of land that is worth $13,500. Instead of providing real answers, the minister told me this week that he would love to arrange for me to meet with some astronauts. I will invite my friend from Beauce to come to the meeting. The minister’s brilliant management tactic is to offer us a meeting with astronauts in order to explain how a $13,500 lease turned into $20 million in subletting fees every year for 10 years. Come on. The recession we are in today is no accident. It is the inevitable result of 10 years of structural deficits, stifling bureaucracy, punitive taxes and blatant contempt for sound fiscal management. Spending money does not lead to prosperity. Taxing people does not enrich this country. That is why our motion today is centred on the need for the House to call on the Liberal Prime Minister to immediately present a plan to reverse all the economic policies of the Liberal government that have given Canada the G7’s worst economy. Canadians are fed up with their government asking them to tighten their belts while the Prime Minister stays silent and his ministers squander billions of dollars on a defective IT system. There is nothing that could justify wasting so much taxpayer money. Quebeckers and Canadians deserve a responsible government, one that respects every hard-earned dollar of its citizens. They deserve a government that understands that taxpayers’ money does not belong to the state. That is why I support this motion with pride and determination. It is high time to cut Liberal waste, abolish Liberal taxes, restore a balanced budget, reverse these destructive policies and finally give Canadians back control of their economy, along with the hope and the chance to dream once again of a great and proud country.”
A repeated line
“That company then turned around and sublet the same land to the Liberal federal government for $20 million a year.”
Mr. Speaker, I want to note that I will be sharing my time with the member for Newmarket—Aurora. I rise today in the House to support the Conservative motion calling on the Prime Minister to take action to deal with the recession. I do so with a deep sense of responsibility, but also with great concern for the economic future of our country and that of our children and our grandchildren. The facts are unequivocal, stark and beyond dispute: Canada is in a recession. The motion tabled today makes that clear. It calls on the House to recognize that the Liberal Prime Minister has given Canada the only economy in recession in the G7. The current Prime Minister has the unenviable distinction of being the only leader among all our partners to have led his country down this path. While our international partners are tackling global challenges with resilience, Canada is sinking. The Liberals like to hide behind flowery words and their speeches. They call this situation a technical recession. Let us be very clear: There is absolutely nothing technical about this. There is nothing technical about a family having to choose between filling up the gas tank and buying groceries. There is nothing technical about the thousands of workers who have lost their jobs, while our country now has the second-highest unemployment rate in the G7, one-third higher than that of the United States. There is nothing technical about people seeing their dream of home ownership vanish forever because this government’s policies have led us to the highest housing costs in the G7. What the Liberals call a technical anomaly is in reality a crisis of their own making, caused by their own decisions that are suffocating the public by creating the highest household debt in the G7. This is very bad news for Canada, for Canadians, for Quebeckers, and for the people of Beauce, as my colleague would proudly say. People from coast to coast to coast need a strong economy and a government that supports it, rather than weakened Liberals. Unfortunately, I am not surprised. No one on our side of the House is surprised. This recession is not just happenstance or the result of unpredictable international circumstances. It is the direct result of a decade of Liberal mismanagement. After 10 years of this government, Canada’s federal debt has more than doubled, soaring from $616 billion to $1.473 trillion. This Liberal government has racked up more debt on Canada’s credit card than all previous governments put together. The Liberals have flooded the economy with printed money, triggered an inflationary crisis and made life more expensive for everyone from coast to coast to coast. The economy is suffering, and Canadians are being left to foot the bill. Where is the Prime Minister’s leadership while our economy is collapsing? What is his response to this major crisis affecting Canadian families? It is silence. The Prime Minister has not said a word about the recession. He refuses even to utter the word. He refuses to face reality. He refuses to answer Canadians’ valid questions. Instead of presenting a serious economic plan, he prefers to look the other way and feign ignorance. This silence is an insult to workers who are losing their jobs and to families who are asking for only one thing: leadership. The Prime Minister has chosen to hide behind his ministers and stock phrases. His lack of public comment on the matter demonstrates a complete disconnect and a profound disregard for the economic hardship Canadians are facing. Let us talk about the Liberals’ disastrous mismanagement and its devastating effects. While ordinary Canadians are being forced to stretch their own budgets and food banks across the country are seeing record demand, this government continues to squander taxpayers’ money on misguided projects, crony contracts and inefficient bureaucracies. Public funds are being managed as though there were no obligation to be a good steward. Let us look at a few flagrant examples of this waste. First, let us consider the ArriveCAN scandal. This app was supposed to cost $80,000 and ended up costing $60 million. Worse still was the Cúram fiasco, which was supposed to cost $1.75 billion and ended up costing $6.6 billion. In the most recent update, the government added an additional $500 million for this system. That is a cost overrun of over $5 billion. Who is paying for that? It is Canadians. It is those who work hard every day. It will be our children and grandchildren who will pay for the Liberals’ mismanagement. That is a national disgrace. The list goes on. I spoke about this next example already this week. A private company is leasing a plot of land from the provincial government for $13,500. That company then turned around and sublet the same land to the Liberal federal government for $20 million a year on a 10-year contract, for a total of $200 million. That is $200 million out of Canadians’ pockets for a plot of land that is worth $13,500. Instead of providing real answers, the minister told me this week that he would love to arrange for me to meet with some astronauts. I will invite my friend from Beauce to come to the meeting. The minister’s brilliant management tactic is to offer us a meeting with astronauts in order to explain how a $13,500 lease turned into $20 million in subletting fees every year for 10 years. Come on. The recession we are in today is no accident. It is the inevitable result of 10 years of structural deficits, stifling bureaucracy, punitive taxes and blatant contempt for sound fiscal management. Spending money does not lead to prosperity. Taxing people does not enrich this country. That is why our motion today is centred on the need for the House to call on the Liberal Prime Minister to immediately present a plan to reverse all the economic policies of the Liberal government that have given Canada the G7’s worst economy. Canadians are fed up with their government asking them to tighten their belts while the Prime Minister stays silent and his ministers squander billions of dollars on a defective IT system. There is nothing that could justify wasting so much taxpayer money. Quebeckers and Canadians deserve a responsible government, one that respects every hard-earned dollar of its citizens. They deserve a government that understands that taxpayers’ money does not belong to the state. That is why I support this motion with pride and determination. It is high time to cut Liberal waste, abolish Liberal taxes, restore a balanced budget, reverse these destructive policies and finally give Canadians back control of their economy, along with the hope and the chance to dream once again of a great and proud country.
“Our government is making good decisions that create jobs, like work at the Davie shipyard. I want the member to stop spreading fear and support what we are doing for the future.”
“Mr. Speaker, I find my colleague’s alarmist rhetoric a bit sad. I want to congratulate him. He is about to become a grandfather for the first time. I am a grandfather myself, twice over. However, for my part, I can look forward to a bright future for my grandchildren thanks to the decisions being made by the government. Just think of the Lévis region, where the Davie shipyard has started construction and will be providing jobs for people from Beauce. So I would like to know if he really sees this as alarmist rhetoric or if he will side with the government for the sake of his grandchildren’s future.”
Official Hansard
Mr. Speaker, I find my colleague’s alarmist rhetoric a bit sad. I want to congratulate him. He is about to become a grandfather for the first time. I am a grandfather myself, twice over. However, for my part, I can look forward to a bright future for my grandchildren thanks to the decisions being made by the government. Just think of the Lévis region, where the Davie shipyard has started construction and will be providing jobs for people from Beauce. So I would like to know if he really sees this as alarmist rhetoric or if he will side with the government for the sake of his grandchildren’s future.
“The Liberal government doubled the national debt from $700 billion to $1.4 trillion in 10 years. Because of this, every child in Canada is born owing $44,000. That is unacceptable.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite, whom I like a lot, also has the privilege of being a grandfather. It is unacceptable that our children and grandchildren are already $44,000 in debt the day they are born because the Liberal government caused the deficit to balloon from around $700 billion to $1.4 trillion in the space of 10 years.”
Official Hansard
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite, whom I like a lot, also has the privilege of being a grandfather. It is unacceptable that our children and grandchildren are already $44,000 in debt the day they are born because the Liberal government caused the deficit to balloon from around $700 billion to $1.4 trillion in the space of 10 years.
