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The Economy

Question period focused on the state of the Canadian economy. Conservative members said government spending, deficits and taxes have put Canada in a recession, citing inflation and food bank use, and criticized the Prime Minister’s travel meal expenses, calling on the government to cut spending and lower taxes. Liberal members, including the parliamentary secretary, responded that Canada has the strongest fiscal position in the G7 according to international organizations, pointed to job creation figures and stable interest rates, and said policies on diversifying the economy and food security are helping with affordability.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

10 statements

Gabriel Hardy

Conservative
“The Liberals are spending too much money and taxing Canadians too much. Their choices have pushed Canada into a recession and made life too expensive. They need to change their economic plan right away.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we all know the Liberals’ economic plan. It involves $141 billion in new spending, a $67-billion deficit in just one year and a budget that repeats the word “investment” 786 times but spends like there is no tomorrow. Canada is the only G20 country in a recession because of those decisions. Recently, 6,000 Canadians wrote to me, and their key message was clear: The cost of living is crushing them. After 11 years of Liberal decisions that have held back Canada’s development and that tax Canadians, their decisions have led us to a recession and a position of weakness. When will the Liberals admit that they need to urgently change course?

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Carlos Leitão

Liberal
“We have changed our plans over the past year. Trade disputes and global economic problems make things difficult, so we brought in policies to broaden our economy.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we have been doing for the past year: changing course. We recognize that we are in a very complicated situation because of the tariff war and the global economic situation. That is why we have introduced policies to help diversify our economy. Now, I also want to tell my colleague that, over the weekend, perhaps he could consult the C.D. Howe Institute’s Business Cycle Council to get a real definition of what is going on right now.

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Gabriel Hardy

Conservative
“The Prime Minister spends too much public money, including $159,000 on airplane food for one trip. This waste has caused a recession. People in Quebec cannot afford groceries. The government must respect taxpayers, lower taxes, and stop funding ideological projects.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is easy to point the finger at others, but when we see a prime minister spending $159,000 on inflight meals for a single trip, we understand why his decisions have led us straight into a recession. While Quebeckers are counting every penny at the grocery store, the Liberals are spending taxpayers’ money as if it were Monopoly money. When will the government show some respect for taxpayers’ money and start making decisions that ease their financial burden rather than always raising taxes to fund the Liberal pharaoh’s ideological projects?

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Ryan Turnbull

Liberal
“World experts say Canada's economy is in the best financial shape in the G7. It is also expected to have the second-highest growth. We have the money to invest in the economy, and we are using it to create good jobs for the future.”

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  • A repeated line

    “Canada has the strongest fiscal position in the G7.”

    Said 14 times by 7 members since May 1.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should recognize that the expertise of the International Monetary Fund and the OECD is well recognized across the globe. They say that Canada’s economy has the strongest fiscal position in the G7. It is expected to have the second-highest growth. That is good news for our country. I know it sounds like bad news to Conservatives, but it is good news for Canada. We have the fiscal capacity and we are using it to invest in the growth of our economy to make sure we have prosperity for future generations. That is good-paying jobs for Canadians for generations—

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Gérard Deltell

Conservative
“The Prime Minister has made Canada's economy worse over the past year. Government spending, rules, and bad policies put us in a recession and made life too expensive. I want to know when things will get better for Canadians.”

  • 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, it has been a year since the Prime Minister took office. Over that year, the situation in Canada has deteriorated. Just imagine: Under his leadership as a well-known international banker, the result is that Canada, under this Prime Minister, is the only G20 country in recession. Inflationary spending, red tape and anti-development policies have created this recession and, above all, have led to a cost-of-living crisis. When will we see concrete results for Canadians?

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Carlos Leitão

Liberal
“The Conservatives do not understand how Canada's economy is doing. Our interest rates are stable. This shows that financial markets trust our economy and trust how our government is running it.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, once again, I suggest that our colleagues in the Conservative Party consult the C.D. Howe Institute’s Business Cycle Council over the weekend to gain a proper understanding of what is currently happening in the Canadian economy. Beyond that, I would also like to mention to the House that short-term and long-term interest rates in Canada are stable. What does that mean? It indicates that the financial markets have full confidence in the Canadian economy and full confidence in how the Government of Canada is managing the Canadian economy.

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Gérard Deltell

Conservative

Linked statement

“The economy is shrinking, Canada has the worst inflation in the G7, and 2.2 million Canadians use food banks. The Prime Minister spent $1 million on airplane food while people cannot afford groceries.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I hope that the member and parliamentary secretary is going to spend the weekend carefully looking over Statistics Canada data, which state that over the past four quarters under the new Prime Minister’s leadership, the results have been negative three times. That is the reality. The reality is also that Canada has the worst inflation in the G7. The reality is also that 2.2 million Canadians have to use food banks to eat. That is the reality. The Prime Minister was elected on the promise that he would be judged on the prices at the grocery store. Does he think of those prices when he invoices $1 million to eat on his airplane?

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Carlos Leitão

Liberal
“Canada's economy created 88,000 jobs in May, mostly in full-time work and construction. This means our economy is growing and building things.”

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  • Government answer in Question Period

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    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there is a whole jumble of things in there. Anyway, let us focus on what I think is the main thing: the statistics. Let us look at the statistics. What the statistics also say is that Canada’s economy created 88,000 jobs in May, including 150,000 full-time jobs. Most of these new jobs were in construction. I am assuming that if people are being hired to work in construction, the purpose is to build something. There are indeed 27,000 new jobs in construction. That is where we are headed.

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Jason Groleau

Conservative
“Canadians are struggling while the government's spending pushes us into a recession. The Prime Minister spent $1 million of taxpayer money on meals for just 14 flights. He needs to respect taxpayers and stop this spending.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals’ out-of-control spending has plunged Canada into a recession. While Canadians are working hard just to put food on the table, the Prime Minister is treating himself on the taxpayers’ dime. He spent $1 million on meals for just 14 flights. Here is a sample of what the Prime Minister enjoys: Normandy butter cups that cost $593. Unbelievable. He also enjoys crème brûlée that cost $4,213, chocolate mousse that cost $3,008 and $17,000 worth of salmon in just three flights. That must have been some very fresh salmon. Can the Prime Minister show a little respect for our taxpayers?

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Sophie Chatel

Liberal
“Farmers in Quebec support our food strategy. We can make food cheaper for families by processing more of it in Canada. We are spending $3.2 billion on the country's food supply chain.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to travel all over Quebec last summer and to meet with farmers in my colleague’s region. I can say one thing. Farmers are very happy with the national food security strategy. One way to make food more affordable for Canadian families is to do more processing here in Canada. We are investing $3.2 billion in the food supply chain in Quebec and across Canada.

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