MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

Hon. François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal Minister of Finance and National Revenue 265 statements translated

Champagne is a cheerleader for the Liberal government, frequently touting Canada's economic growth and the government's spending on programs and investments. He often deflects criticism by accusing the Conservatives of talking down the economy and highlights the government's 'generational investments' in housing, infrastructure, and innovation. He is skilled at filling time with kind words and praise for his colleagues while avoiding committing to specific actions or answering questions directly.

Government Orders

Business of Supply

2026-05-26

“I just want to repeat myself and not answer the question.”

“I don't want to give a straight answer about the cost. I want Canadians to wait and read a future report. I'm stalling.”

“I don't want to directly answer your clear question. Instead, I will refer you to this document with many numbers in table A1.9. I hope it makes me look smart and deflects attention.”

“I refer you to the table on page 125. The information is all there.”

“You criticize me no matter what I do. Make up your mind. Is a sovereign wealth fund good or bad? I think it's good. Other countries have them. I want one for Canada.”

“I want taxpayers to spend more money. I say I consulted with other programs. I want Canadians to be happy they get to pay for this.”

“I don't like that you're criticizing my program. We should all work together to support the government's plans.”

“I don't care what you say. International investors like us.”

“I have enormous respect for you, but you're wrong. It's irresponsible to call this a slush fund. We have consulted widely with funds around the world about best practices. Canada is creating a fund that is going to serve Canadians well.”

“I'm going to keep insisting this fund will be independent. I'll just repeat myself and hope that reassures you.”

“I want you to think I'm smart. But I'm just saying 'independent' and 'best practices' a lot. I hope you won't notice I didn't answer the question.”

“You know a lot about finance. So trust me, this fund is independent. It definitely won't be controlled by the government. We're only telling it what its overall goals are. And those goals are totally normal for a national fund like this. You should be happy we're making everyone wealthier together.”

“I'm going to ignore your real point and just tell you what page the budget is on. Look at page 129. It's in the budget. I found it for you.”

“I'm filling time with kind words and saying nothing anyone could pin down later.”

“I'm trying to look smart in front of the International Monetary Fund. I'm filling time with kind words and saying nothing anyone could pin down later.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, it is good to have amazing colleagues like the minister who come and have very pointed questions. In fact, I know my Conservative colleagues understand as well that Canada offers unparalleled stability, predictability and the rule of law. Like many of my colleagues, I studied law. I remember that I had this professor who said, “Find me a place in the world that does not have the pillar of investment. We saw that when we do not have that, we do not get investment.” The pillar of investment is stability, predictability and the rule of law. In a very divided world, in a world where we see the uncertainty index at its peak, almost since 1945, we can see why Canada stands out in the world. In the fog of uncertainty, we are the lighthouse. That is what I said at the IMF meeting at the G7. Canada is a lighthouse in the fog of uncertainty. Those were the words of the executive director of the International Monetary Fund. She said the world is wrapped in this fog of uncertainty, and our mission in a world that is more complex and volatile is to provide that kind of certainty. What is certainty today? Certainty today has to do with what we can control. As our Prime Minister has said, we will focus on what we can control: remove interprovincial trade barriers, open our markets abroad, export to new markets, build the infrastructure, build the housing, be more competitive, invest in innovation and build a country strong. That is exactly what we are doing. We are building Canada strong with investment. I would say confident countries invest in themselves. Canada has been singled out again. My colleagues in this House will understand that. There are only two countries that the IMF said are standing out, Germany and Canada, two countries with AAA credit rating that have the fiscal capacity to invest. It said that if those countries invest in housing, infrastructure, competitiveness and innovation, they will succeed. That is why we see that Canada has the second-fastest growth in the G7, growing twice as much as our colleagues in Europe, twice as much as Germany, twice as much as Japan and three times more than Italy. Growth happens because of our policies. Growth happens because we have the best workers. Growth happens because we have strong industry. Growth happens—

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“I want to thank my colleague. She is an important voice for our region. She has helped shape our budget and economic plan. The Canada Strong fund is a key part of that plan. It is a national sovereign wealth fund. Canadians can invest in it if they want to help build a strong Canada.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I would like to take a moment to thank my colleague because I know how proud the young people of Moncton—Dieppe are tonight to have a strong voice in Ottawa. She is a colleague I can applaud. She is a strong voice for the region and for New Brunswick. When my colleague speaks, Ottawa listens. The proof is that my colleague was one of the architects of many of the measures found in the budget and the economic statement. I really want to tell the people of Moncton—Dieppe that they made an excellent choice, because my colleague has been doing an extraordinary job for many years. It has been a privilege to serve alongside her. She is right. In our economic statement, we said we need to build Canada strong for all, by putting structural measures in place. One of the key measures is the Canada Strong fund, our first national sovereign wealth fund. Together with the Prime Minister, we decided that we wanted to create a vehicle for collective wealth. We have seen how the sovereign wealth funds set up in Nordic countries, for example, have benefited communities, workers and families. In a very Canadian way, we are allowing individuals to invest. Ordinary folks will also be able to invest in this major fund, if they are interested and have a bit of savings. They will see their investment grow over the years, and they will be able to say that they helped build this great country. We talk about a strong Canada for all, and there is something very Canadian about telling people that they can contribute if they want to. I want to once again thank my colleague for her outstanding leadership, because she has always been there to remind us of how we can build communities. I know that she comes from a part of the country that is a lot like mine. We often talk about rural areas and the regions. My colleagues also understand the importance of the regions. I have to say that she is an outstanding colleague who has done important work, and many of her ideas found their way into the 2025 budget and the economic statement. This evening, I would like to thank her for her work on behalf of the people of Moncton—Dieppe.

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“I want Canadians to ignore criticism and trust the IMF's growth predictions instead. I think our economy will grow faster than other countries by 2026. I won't say how we'll make that happen.”

“I'm ignoring your question about domestic investment and changing the subject to celebrate GDP growth instead.”

“You call yourself a Conservative? A real conservative would cheer for an open economy. Investment from companies like Volkswagen and Shell grows our GDP and creates jobs, so you should be celebrating that they want to come here.”

“I don't want to answer a hard question about what 'investment' means. Ignore the bad parts and cheer for Canada leading in putting money into mergers and acquisitions.”