Translate Politics Parliament in plain language.

The Economy

Question period focused on the state of the Canadian economy, with Conservative members repeatedly asking whether the Prime Minister would acknowledge that Canada is in a recession, pointing to two straight quarters of economic shrinkage, weak productivity, rising borrowing, and forecasts from the Parliamentary Budget Officer and banks. Liberal ministers replied that the economy faces headwinds from U.S. tariffs but pointed to job growth, wages rising faster than inflation, falling rents, and government investments in housing, harbours, community infrastructure, trades training, and supports for affordability, and invited the opposition to support those measures. No new motions were introduced; the exchange stayed on these competing descriptions of the economy.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

14 statements

Carol Anstey

Conservative
“Canada is in a recession and our economy is shrinking. I want the Prime Minister to admit his policies caused this.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, under the costly Liberal Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession. In the past few days, we have learned so much more about the dire state of our economy under his watch. While the cost of living skyrockets, our economy has shrunk for two quarters straight. Businesses are fleeing. Capital investment has plunged for five consecutive quarters, and Scotiabank warns that our growth is less than half that of the U.S. Will the Prime Minister finally admit that his policies caused the Liberal recession, or is he so out of touch that he thinks Canadians are just imagining their economic despair?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A View analysis

Joanne Thompson

Liberal

Linked statement

“Newfoundland and Labrador is growing. More people have jobs, and the government is spending money on harbours, fisheries, housing, roads, and community centres. The member across the way should support this.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind my opposition colleague from Newfoundland and Labrador that employment numbers are up in our province. I also want to remind her once again of the almost $1 billion for small craft harbours, growing our rural, coastal and indigenous communities that support our fisheries, an essential part of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. There are also supports around housing, road construction, infrastructure, community centres, and on and on this goes. We are actually in a time of growth. I hope the member gets on board.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade B+ View analysis

Carol Anstey

Conservative
“The government is spending too much money and failing to meet its deficit targets. The economy is getting worse. I want the Prime Minister to tell us if Canada is in a recession.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, clearly Liberal photo ops and empty Liberal announcements will not pay the mortgages of struggling Canadians. The Parliamentary Budget Officer just confirmed that there is less than a 1% chance that the Liberal government hits its own deficit targets. It is already borrowing $7 billion more than it admitted, while driving up bloated bureaucracy to $86 billion. The broad economic picture is getting worse, not better. Will the Liberal Prime Minister tell us, are we in a recession, or are Canadians just technically doing worse after a decade of Liberals being in power?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A– View analysis

Joanne Thompson

Liberal
“Our job training programs help young people get good jobs in construction. This improves the economy and increases employment. The opposition should work with us instead of using negative slogans.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 33 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I will once again remind the member opposite that when we get people to work, when we invest in our young Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and Canadians with programs like the apprenticeship program, which walks with them throughout the journey to a Red Seal designation, and when we have construction jobs, it enhances our economy and it raises our employment numbers, which we are now seeing. This is what it takes to build Canada strong. Empty slogans and negative responses are not helpful. I invite the member to work alongside us.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade C View analysis

Kelly DeRidder

Conservative
“Canada is the only G20 country in a recession, and the government has not explained why it caused this. People cannot afford food, and the government just makes excuses.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, under the Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession. There has been no answer as to why the government has failed us and brought us into a recession. First, it was a technical recession, but when Canadians pushed back, it became tariffs. When that did not stick, it became not enough spending and not enough immigration: What? When Canadians have to steal 10 billion dollars’ worth of groceries because of affordability, is it because they are only technically hungry?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A View analysis

Gregor Robertson

Liberal
“Rent has gone down across Canada for 20 months in a row. Our government is spending money on affordable housing, food programs, and money back for groceries and children. We vote to make life cheaper, but the opposition votes against it.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing rents come down across Canada right now. We are seeing 20 straight months of rents declining, which is a positive trend. We are investing in the affordable housing that Canada needs to make sure that Canadians can afford housing. We are investing in discounts and rebates with the groceries and essentials benefit, benefits for children and food programs, across the board. This side of the House votes for affordability. That side of the House votes against it.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A– View analysis

Kelly DeRidder

Conservative
“Canada is in a recession, and the government is borrowing more money than it planned. I want the Prime Minister to tell Canadians how much money it will take to fix this.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have hope that one day the government will actually answer questions and take accountability, but it seems as though today is not that day. When the news broke that Canada is in a recession, my very first thought was, “When is the government going to ask for another blank cheque?” It is already borrowing over its budget. The spring economic update said it would borrow $65 billion this year. However, the budget watchdog says it is going to be $72 billion. I would like to know just how much the Prime Minister will tell Canadians it is going to take to fix it.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A View analysis

Gregor Robertson

Liberal
“We are spending 51 billion dollars on community centres, transit, and housing needs. This will make life more affordable and train 100,000 new trades workers. The opposition does not support this.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 34 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are making unprecedented investments in Canada’s community infrastructure: $51 billion in the build communities strong fund, which is going into our communities for community centres, for housing-enabling infrastructure and for public transit. These are unprecedented investments to make Canada more affordable and to get jobs on the ground across Canada for our young people, with 100,000 new tradespeople who will be trained, supported by this House again. The other side of the House does not support any of this action. They are just negative. They should get with the program.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade C View analysis

Sukhman Gill

Conservative
“Canada's economy is shrinking, and it is the only G20 country in a recession. I want the Prime Minister to tell us if we are in a recession.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, under the Liberal Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession. The economy has shrunk in two consecutive quarters. Per capita GDP is only up 1.5% over seven years, and labour productivity has declined for four years straight. Even the Parliamentary Budget Officer said there is a less than 1% chance that the government will meet its fiscal anchor. Will the Prime Minister tell us if we are in a recession, or are Canadians only technically doing worse after a decade of Liberal rule?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A+ View analysis

Jill McKnight

Liberal
“Our economy faces challenges, including high U.S. tariffs. But our government is creating jobs, and people in British Columbia want us to keep going.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 45 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, British Columbians are talking to me about the fact that they see we are facing headwinds for our economy right now. They see the U.S. charging tariffs that have not been seen since the Great Depression. They see the work that we are doing to invest in labour and to invest in good jobs for individuals, and they see the employment numbers coming up. British Columbians are optimistic, and they want us to continue the work we are doing.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade C+ View analysis

Sukhman Gill

Conservative
“The Liberals caused our economic problems, and our growth is falling behind the United States. They are also borrowing billions more than they planned. Will the Prime Minister admit that Canada is in a recession?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the Liberals caused these economic headwinds. The fact is that the Liberal Prime Minister is the only prime minister who is running this country, which is in a recession. Canadian banks are now warning of economic decline, with Scotiabank forecasting just 0.8% growth for Canada compared to 1.9% in the United States, while BMO projects even weaker growth, 0.5%, in 2026. It is not only that, but the Liberals are already borrowing billions of dollars over their projected costly budget. Will the Prime Minister finally admit that Canada is technically in a real recession?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A– View analysis

Jill McKnight

Liberal
“The U.S. is raising tariffs to levels not seen since the Great Depression. Canadians want us to find new trade partners and spend money on big projects and workers. I want the other parties to support these investments with us.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, as I said, British Columbians see that we are facing headwinds caused by geopolitical events and tariffs. The U.S. has fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising tariffs to levels that have not been seen since the Great Depression. Canadians want to see the steps that we are taking to address this. They want to see the diversification of trade. They want to see us invest in major projects, and they want to see us invest in Canadian workers. Why can our colleagues not join with us to make these investments?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A– View analysis

Harb Gill

Conservative
“Canada is in a recession. Families are cutting back, businesses are not investing, and productivity is falling. Will the Prime Minister admit the economy is in a recession?”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, under the Liberal Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession, and the Prime Minister has zero respect for the sacrifices Canadians are making every day. We know families are cutting back. Businesses are delaying investment. Productivity is falling. A former central banker is driving the economy, and the Parliamentary Budget Officer, appointed by him, is saying there is a 99% chance he is going to drive the economy into a ditch. Will the Prime Minister admit Canada is in a recession, or does he believe Canadians are better off after 10 years of Liberal rule?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A View analysis

Evan Solomon

Liberal
“The opposition should help us build the economy instead of attacking it. In May, 88,000 new jobs were created. Wages have grown faster than inflation every month since we took office, and rents are down 9%. The Conservatives also oppose the money we put into local companies in Windsor.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, instead of gleefully running down the economy, which the opposition does every day, those members should help us build it up. They do not like to point out that 88,000 new jobs were created, as said in the May report. They do not like to point out that wages have grown faster than inflation every month since we took office. They do not like to point out that rents are down 9%. In Windsor, when we invest in Central Stampings and when we invest in Unique Tool & Gauge, which we have done, the Conservatives oppose investing in their own communities. They should get with the program and build this country up together.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade B+ View analysis

Discussion

No comments yet

See the full discussion

Comment rules

More from sitting 131

All 38 items ·
  1. Private Members' Business The Criminal Code 6 statements
  2. Government Orders Business of Supply 68 statements
  3. Oral Questions The Economy 12 statements
  4. Oral Questions Canadian Identity and Culture 6 statements
  5. Oral Questions The Economy 14 statements
  6. Oral Questions Health 4 statements
  7. Oral Questions The Economy 10 statements
  8. Oral Questions Youth 2 statements
  9. Oral Questions The Economy 10 statements
  10. Oral Questions Health 8 statements
  11. Oral Questions Public Safety 6 statements
  12. Oral Questions Indigenous Affairs 2 statements
  13. Oral Questions Employment 4 statements
  14. Oral Questions The Economy 2 statements
  15. Government Orders Business of Supply 38 statements
  16. Government Orders Business of Supply 28 statements
  17. Government Orders Main Estimates, 2026-27 106 statements
  18. Government Orders Supplementary Estimates (A), 2026‑27 7 statements
  19. Government Orders Government Orders 5 statements
  20. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  21. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements