Carlos Leitão · TranslatePolitics.ca

Oral Questions

The Economy

2026-06-18

“I want people to look up a report that makes the government's economic record look good. Out of sync with reality means 'I disagree with you'.”

Oral Questions

The Economy

2026-06-17

“I don't like when you blame outside forces. I want to blame all the bad things on the last guy.”

“I'm filling time listing upbeat numbers and avoiding the question.”

Government Orders

Government Business No. 12—Proceedings on Bill C-30

2026-06-15

“I want taxpayers to spend more money on many programs at once. More money for businesses, more money for workers, more new expensive ideas, and more money to transform the economy.”

“The Conservatives made us wait for translations. I'm blaming them for slowing us down.”

“We won't compromise on our issues. We didn't sign a deal because it was bad. We're standing our ground.”

“Government should keep borrowing. Canada can borrow more. Canada will not hit the limit soon. More borrowing is good. Borrowing can help the economy.”

“I want to complain about the other party's tactics. I think this bill is very important. I'm going to talk a lot about spending money on defense and trade. Then I'll say the economy is fine. I won't talk about spending limits.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time. It is my turn to speak to Bill C-30, which seeks to implement the economic update. I want to address several issues, but, first, I want to talk about why we are doing things a bit differently here today. Last week, at the Standing Committee on Finance, on which I serve, the Conservative members used some pretty intense filibustering tactics during the study of C-30. What I found especially shocking was that the Conservatives themselves admitted that this filibustering had nothing to do with any specific concerns about this bill but everything to do with winning concessions on another bill, Bill C-22. They said so themselves. They made it very clear. To get concessions on Bill C-22, they were prepared to filibuster, change everything and take as long as necessary to achieve that goal. This filibuster was clearly deliberate, especially given how much of the committee's time was spent on a single clause and on an amendment moved by the Conservatives themselves. They then moved subamendment after subamendment. They used a very clear tactic: These subamendments were drafted in English only. We had to wait for them to be translated before work could resume. We can see the mechanism at play. Also, the Conservatives' discussions on these subamendments involved a lot of repetition and many digressions that had very little to do with the matter at hand. That also contributed to delays. In any event, we spent hours and hours on it. It quickly became clear that no progress was going to be made at all. That is a big problem because Bill C-30 is so important. It concerns the April 28 economic update, which contains a number of very useful and very important measures for our economy. I suspect I may run out of time, but before I talk about those measures, I want to address a few problems that have been mentioned today in the conversations and in the debates that we have had here so far. For example, as of the end of the fiscal year, March 31, Canada had met the target of 2% of GDP for spending and investments in national defence. That was confirmed by NATO itself, and it is something that Canada had not done in a very long time. Liberal and Conservative governments kept national defence spending at 1% or 1.5% of GDP. We very quickly and practically reached the 2% target, and we committed to allocating 5% of GDP to national defence by 2035. That is a very significant commitment. We are making this commitment because the world is a different place now. Today, our situation is very delicate. Our biggest trade and economic partner is also our neighbour: the United States. It is a partner that has very plainly and clearly told us that it does not need what Canada has to offer. We could discuss that at great length. It does not need anything except our energy, our aluminum and other resources. The Americans imposed a number of sector-based tariffs, which is not entirely consistent with CUSMA requirements, but they did it anyway to put the Canadian government under a lot of pressure. They really want to put a lot of pressure on the economy to force us into making all sorts of concessions, to the point where our own sovereignty is at risk. That is why we are investing heavily in defence. It is also why we are going to keep strengthening ties with reliable, dependable and predictable partners. That said, it is also clear that 70% of our exports go to the United States. Our neighbour will always be our neighbour. We cannot change geography. We still have good relationships with American businesses and the American people. We are going to maintain those relationships. We have also committed to doubling our non-U.S. exports. Let us look at the reasoning behind that. Even if we can double the 30% of our exports going to non-U.S. countries, and I think we will get there, 40% to 50% of our exports will still be going to the United States. It will still be important to maintain our trade relationship with the United States. That is why we are still committed to updating CUSMA. That work continues, despite the obstacles the administration sometimes puts in our way. We remain focused on that, but we need to have a broader perspective on all of this. It is important to point out one other thing that is very clear in the economic update. Our colleagues opposite keep saying that we are running huge deficits, that we are heading straight for a wall and that things are not working. Our colleagues sometimes paint a rather apocalyptic picture. Let us review some basic facts. Our deficit stands at 2.1% of GDP, which is entirely manageable. Canada's public debt is equally manageable. In fact, that is why our AAA credit rating is being maintained. If Canada were truly a country on the brink of ruin, how could we still have a AAA credit rating? I will conclude on this point. How is it that long-term bond yields, for example 10-year yields, are around 3.5%? That is roughly 100 basis points, or one percentage point, lower than in the United States. If we are as broke as our colleagues opposite claim, why are interest rates on the financial markets still so favourable in Canada? We are on the right track. We are going to diversify our economy and continue to sign trade agreements.

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Oral Questions

The Economy

2026-06-12

“You mentioned many different problems. I want to focus on just one: jobs. Our economy added 88,000 jobs in May. Many of those were full-time, especially in construction. We must be building many houses. I think this is good.”

“Don't listen to valid criticism. I want everyone to look at this shiny council instead. Canada's economy is good because interest rates aren't currently doing something. Trust us to manage the economy. The markets agree with me.”

“I don't like your criticism. We are diversifying the economy. The C.D. Howe Institute's Business Cycle Council says we're doing fine.”

Government Orders

Government Business No. 12—Proceedings on Bill C-30

2026-06-12

“You're doing great. Thanks for helping the government and being on our side. Could you talk more about how our team is making sure your riding gets its share of the money?”

“I want the government to spend more money on businesses hurt by the U.S. trade war.”

Government Orders

Combatting Hate Act

2026-06-11

“I want to cheer for my team. Look at me complimenting her. Let's keep talking about how bad racism is. It's everywhere.”

Statements by Members

Portugal Day

2026-06-10

“I'm saying lots of nice things about Portuguese-Canadians because it's Portugal Day and I'm Portuguese-Canadian myself. Look how successful I've been in Canada! But I'm not actually asking for anything specific today, just trying to associate myself with a nice feel-good celebration.”

Statements by Members

Jeremy Hansen

2026-06-08

“I want to cheer for a Canadian astronaut in the news and make my party and country look good by association.”

Adjournment Proceedings

Steel and Aluminum Industry

2026-06-03

“I want taxpayers to spend money to support steel and aluminum companies. I want the government to make rules about how these companies can do business. I think the government should help Canadian companies compete against companies from other countries. I believe the government should always tell businesses what they can and can't do.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the government remains in constant communication with businesses and workers in the steel and aluminum industries. On April 29, the Prime Minister's new Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations held its first meeting. This forum will help us better understand the impact of the situation and strengthen our ability to respond to future developments. While quick responses remain important in the short term, our government will continue to work with industry to develop long-term strategies that build resilience, support workers and position Canadian businesses to succeed in an ever-changing and competitive North American market. We will always protect Canadian interests and promote stable, predictable and fair international trade.

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“I want the government to spend money on Canadian steel and aluminum companies. We should buy more from Canadian suppliers, even if it costs more. I think this will create jobs and make us less dependent on other countries. I want to brag about our response to U.S. tariffs and claim it helps the economy.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to comments by the hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona regarding the buy Canadian policy and the use of Canadian materials in public projects. We have taken decisive and unprecedented action to help Canadian steel and aluminum producers secure a larger share of the Canadian market. With that in mind, one key element of our response to U.S. tariffs is to ensure that, moving forward, we become our own best customer. We are therefore prioritizing Canadian steel and aluminum in government procurement contracts through our buy Canadian policy. This policy ensures that federal spending prioritizes Canadian suppliers. For example, Canadian steel and aluminum will be used in future infrastructure projects, including ports, bridges and energy projects. The government's buy Canadian policy stimulates our economy while supporting local businesses and workers. By gearing government contracts to Canadian businesses, we keep investments in our country, support small and medium-sized businesses and strengthen supply chain resilience. This approach helps create good-paying jobs, encourages local production and reduces dependence on unstable global markets. It also ensures that taxpayer dollars provide communities with maximum benefits, while fostering sustainable and reliable production. It is worth noting that this approach does not mean we are closing our borders. Rather, it means we are building a stronger, more independent economy that puts Canada on the road to long-term prosperity and shared growth. To further facilitate this transition, notably through the $5-billion strategic response fund, we are supporting companies that are shifting their production to Canadian supply chains. This program will provide Canadian steel and aluminum companies with the support they need to manufacture products that are in demand in the domestic market but are not yet produced here. Furthermore, in a trade environment marked by growing protectionism, the ongoing need for investment in defence equipment manufacturing and critical infrastructure is helping Canadian companies shift their production to meet domestic needs. Our government remains focused on stimulating domestic demand so that Canadian businesses and workers in the steel and aluminum sectors can maintain and expand their operations. Above all, we will continue to support Canadian workers and businesses affected by the instability caused by the arbitrary and unfair tariffs imposed by the U.S. government.

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Government Orders

Business of Supply

2026-06-02

“I want to blame weak GDP on temporary problems like government spending. The real issue is exports. I want to know what my colleague thinks about private investment. I'm worried uncertainty will freeze private spending.”

Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, we could have said a lot of things, but we are short on time. I will just say two things. First, when we break down GDP, we should note that one of the sources of weakness in the first quarter was government spending. We know this is temporary. It is an adjustment, and it will change. However, I agree with my colleague that one of the main issues is exports. Indeed, exports to the United States are a significant problem, and it will need to be addressed over time. I would like to know what my colleague thinks about private investment, especially in a climate of uncertainty. After all, the decline in exports and the trade war are also creating a great deal of uncertainty. Another trend we are seeing is a freeze on private investment, particularly in machinery, equipment, and so on. What does my colleague have to say about that?

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Oral Questions

Steel and Aluminum Industry

2026-05-29

“That makes me sad. I want the government to spend $20 million on aluminum processors in Quebec. I hope this money will help Canadian workers.”