“The government says things are going well, but Canada lost 35,000 retail jobs in early 2026. This shows that people cannot afford to shop. I want to know when the government will help people pay for groceries and basic needs.”

“Mr. Speaker, when I hear the member for Winnipeg North talk about good news and how lucky Canadians are to have the current government, I really have to wonder. I wonder if I am dreaming and if someone should wake me up. It is really astonishing. The Liberals’ self-congratulation is getting embarrassing. When figures come out, we can break them down and interpret them as we wish, but some of them do not lie. In the first quarter of 2026, 35,000 retail jobs were lost. Retail is the end of the line. It is clothing shops, supermarkets and convenience stores. That is where people go to shop for their everyday needs. The loss of 35,000 jobs in the first quarter of 2026 means that people cannot afford to buy from their regular stores. That is an alarming figure that shows that Canadians and Quebeckers are currently feeling much more financial distress than optimism, contrary to what my colleague would have us believe. At some point, will the government take concrete measures to help people pay for groceries and basic needs?”

“A member pointed out that very few Conservatives are here today. I want to know if our rules allow members to point out who is here and who is not.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am curious. My colleague on the opposite side mentioned the fact that there are very few Conservative MPs present, even though it is their opposition day. Like you, I thought this was a quorum call, but is it permissible to note the absence or presence of MPs in the House?”

“Canada's economy is doing poorly, and Liberal policies caused this recession. But the Conservatives are exaggerating how bad things are. Does my colleague think that hurts their credibility?”

“Mr. Speaker, it is true that the Canadian economy is not doing well. It is also true that certain Liberal policies have contributed to the fact that we are in a technical recession. However, by painting an overly dire and one-sided picture, are the Conservatives not discrediting themselves? What does my colleague think?”

• Vague
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  Question or comment in debate

  Clarity 37 of 100

  Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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“The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the deficit will be $6.5 billion higher than the government claimed a month ago. The government spent far too much money and acted like saving a tiny bit was a success. I want to know where the deficit is actually headed.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rather like my colleague from Mississauga—Lakeshore. We should hear from him more often in the House. I would like him to talk about the budgetary projections and fiscal anchors the Parliamentary Budget Officer mentioned. She projects that the deficit will be $6.5 billion higher, reaching a total of $71.8 billion, compared to the economic update released just a month ago. I found that interesting. The Liberals were telling us how much smaller the deficit was than expected and that the situation was better. It is a bit like me giving my teenager $100 to go buy pizza and him being proud to hand me back $5 afterwards. We do not know what he did with the rest, but that is not good management. I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on that. Given the current circumstances, where is the deficit headed?”

“Young people are losing retail jobs, while the government gives billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil companies. I want the member to say if she will support stopping these subsidies to help struggling taxpayers instead.”

“Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that my colleague talked about young people struggling to find work in the current economy. As I pointed out earlier to the member for Winnipeg North, 35,000 jobs were lost in the retail sector in the first quarter of 2026. These are precisely the kinds of jobs that are often available to younger people and those who may have less formal education. Meanwhile, the Conservatives fully support making massive investments in developing the fossil fuel industry. Billions of dollars are going to oil companies in the form of tax breaks, for example. Would my colleague be in favour of easing the burden on taxpayers a little, including the young families she seems to want to defend in her riding? People in my riding, Drummond, are also struggling. Would she be willing to reconsider the subsidies given to oil companies and redistribute some of those billions of dollars to taxpayers who are really struggling right now?”