Ryan Turnbull

In response to a question from William Stevenson

“Our government is helping Canadians with the high cost of living by cutting taxes and funding programs like child care and school food. We are also setting up automatic tax filing to make it easier for people to get their benefits. The Conservatives vote against these supports, but we will keep spending money to help people and grow the economy.”

“Clearly, Mr. Speaker, Canadians are navigating a rapidly changing, increasingly fragmented and volatile global economy, one that is more complex, more unpredictable and, for many, more costly as well. In response, our government continues to focus on what we can control, which is building a strong Canadian economy and diversifying our trade partners abroad. We see signs of progress, with 20 new trade and security agreements signed and a 36% increase in non-U.S. trade, which is significant. We are also focused on delivering responsible fiscal management and supporting Canadians who are under pressure from everyday expenses. Just last week, on Friday, I had the opportunity to list 19 different tax cuts that our government has made. There was no response from the Conservatives, of course, because they did not support 99% of them. I think there might have been one they allowed to pass, but I am sure if they could have blocked them, they would have done so, because that is exactly what we see in this House: the Conservatives obstructing and voting against the very things that help Canadians, whether it is child care or a national school food program, a groceries and essentials benefit, an income tax cut, suspending the fuel excise tax, and on and on. Every single measure we put forward that actually helps to tangibly reduce the cost of living pressures on Canadians, they vote against and oppose. I do not know how they can stand up in the House and say they actually care about households and the cost of living. The other thing the member opposite suggested is that the tax system has become more complex. It is true, as we offer investment tax credits for businesses and waive, or increase deductions for, certain kinds of expenses, or as we help tradespeople who are moving across the country, relocating for work, by allowing them to deduct more of those expenses, that it is more complex for Canadians. However, we have also moved forward with an automatic tax filing system and initiative that will help millions of Canadians who, for the many accessing federal benefits and supports, rely on filing their taxes. We know full well that it will help with simple tax filings. It also means that other Canadians will be able to get access to benefits because it better utilizes government resources to help those with the simplest tax filings to access the tax benefits and federal payments they are eligible for. We are stepping up to help out. We have fiscal strength. The IMF said recently that we have the strongest fiscal position in the G7 and that we should use our fiscal capacity, which is exactly what the federal government is doing. I know Conservatives would never invest in Canadians. They do not believe in Canadians. They do not believe in boosting the economy. That is not the Liberal Party’s position. Our position is to use our fiscal capacity to boost our economy. We see those investments coming to fruition and manifesting good-paying jobs for generations to come. That is the prosperity we are building. That is how we build Canada strong, and we are not going to back down just because Conservatives talk a good game in this House.”

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In response to a question from Tamara Jansen

“We worked with police and women's groups to pass these bills, and the House passed them. Conservative senators are the ones blocking them and slowing them down.”

“Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we have been doing: working with law enforcement and with police associations across the country. We have had tons of testimonials over and over again for these two bills. I have talked to my police association; to my father, who is an ex-homicide detective; and to many other police across this country who have been asking to pass these two bills. In addition, the women’s organizations in my region have been asking us to pass the protecting victims act, and they support the work of the government. Why does the member opposite continue to claim false things in the House, saying we do not care, when we have put the solutions on paper, have done the work in committee and have passed the bills through the House? Conservative senators have been blocking the legislation and trying to slow it down. They have been slowing it down for way too long. Let them get out of the cheap seats and actually do something to help Canadians.”

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In response to a question from Tamara Jansen

“We introduced two bills to fight extortion. They make bail harder to get for violent extortionists and punish people who recruit youth into crime. Conservatives in the House and Senate are delaying these bills. I want Conservatives to stop blocking them and help pass them quickly.”

“Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to rise today to speak about an issue that Canadians are no longer willing to tolerate: the surge of extortion that is targeting our communities, our businesses and our families. Crime has evolved, and frankly, our laws did not keep pace quickly enough. That is a reality, but unlike the members opposite, we are not interested in pointing fingers and walking away. We are taking responsibility and fixing the issue. This is why we introduced Bill C-14, the bail and sentencing reform act, and Bill C-16, the protecting victims act, two of the most consequential proposed reforms to the Criminal Code in a generation. Bill C-14 would give tools to provincial judges and police officers to put repeat and violent extortionists in jail, where they belong. It would mandate strict bail conditions for people accused of extortion and organized crime, including weapons prohibitions and geographic restrictions. It would introduce a reverse onus for extortion involving violence, shifting the burden so that the people accused must justify their release instead of the Crown having to justify their detention, and it would ensure that sentences for extortion and arson are served consecutively, because escalating violence deserves escalating consequences, period. Bill C-16 would go even further by addressing how criminal networks operate. It would create a new stand-alone offence to target people who recruit young people into committing crimes like extortion. These criminals are not just breaking the law; they are grooming young people to do their work for them. We are shutting that pipeline down before more lives are pulled into it. Here is something Canadians must know. These bills were introduced last fall, last year. Canadians expected urgency, but what they got from the Conservatives is delay, obstruction and political gamesmanship, all while they stood in the House pretending to be tough on crime. Now the same pattern is repeating itself in the Senate, where a Conservative senator has recently claimed there is no timeline to pass Bill C-14 and bring it back to the House for final stage. This is despite overwhelming support from all 10 premiers, from police chiefs across the country, from frontline officers I have talked to and from business leaders across this country who are dealing with extortion in real time. Let us be clear: The only thing standing between Canadians and stronger protections right now is Conservative delay. If the member opposite truly cared about victims of extortion, she would use her rhetoric and her actual influence inside her party to make sure these bills get passed. Tonight when she goes home, we hope she will pick up the phone and tell her Conservative colleagues in the Senate to stop blocking these bills, which she has been doing, and urge them to pass Bill C-14 both at committee and at third reading, before this Friday, or she will continue to say one thing here while her colleagues ensure that nothing actually gets done. The legislation is here. The solution is here. The only question is whether the members opposite will finally stop their obstruction and start standing with Canadians and the victims of extortion.”

In response to a question from Cheryl Gallant

“Our economy is strong, which lets us invest in the military and in housing. We lowered the deficit by $11 billion and slowed government spending growth. Foreign investment is also at its highest level in nearly 20 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member has adopted the “Canada Strong” message on behalf of the government. I appreciate her finally contributing to a plan that will make our economy stronger. As I have said, we are moving forward from a position of strength. That gives us the fiscal capacity to do the things that we have proposed to do and that we are actually implementing, including major investments in defence infrastructure and housing, which will be boosting innovation and productivity across the country. The spring economic update shows very clearly that progress is being made. We have $11 billion less of a deficit and the average yearly increase of government spending has come down from 8% to 2%. Over the next three years, it will come to a 0% increase. We are also seeing lots of change within the economy and the highest foreign direct investment in almost two decades. The member opposite should understand that those things are really good news for this country and for all Canadians as we build a prosperous Canada.”

In response to a question from Cheryl Gallant

“Our government is managing the country's money responsibly during hard times. Canada's economy is strong, inflation is under control, and we have the best financial position in the G7. We are cutting government office costs and helping businesses invest, build more homes, and create jobs.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am really glad to be here this evening to answer the member for Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke’s question. While she is very entertaining in her remarks, Canadians know that these are uncertain times and that global volatility is something our government takes seriously. Responsible leadership is really what matters more than ever. Around the world, inflation, conflict and economic volatility are putting pressure on families and governments alike. In response, our government is focused on what we can control, which is managing public finances responsibly while investing where it matters most. That is exactly what the spring economic update delivers or at least shows progress on. Canada enters this moment from a position of strength. Our economy has proven more resilient than anticipated in the face of global disruption. Inflation remains within the Bank of Canada’s target range. Investment and business confidence are recovering after two massive shocks: the oil price shock and the tariff war before it. The strong fundamentals that we reported on in the spring economic update allow us to make smart, targeted choices without compromising fiscal discipline. Fiscal responsibility means making sure every dollar works harder for Canadians. That is why our government is preserving fiscal sustainability for future generations, keeping debt manageable and maintaining Canada’s long-standing fiscal advantage among G7 countries. The member opposite will note that the IMF has recently said that Canada has the strongest fiscal position in the G7. We had that confirmed by the bank governor today at the finance committee who said the same, that we are the envy of many other countries. Our government is committed to reducing spending on government operations. We have generated $60 billion in savings over five years to ensure public funds are focused on high-impact priorities rather than administrative costs. We also have moved forward with a capital budgeting framework so that a greater portion of the investments the government is making can be seen to be revenue-generating and separated out with respect to reporting, in order to understand their impact. We are focused on high-impact priorities, including building more homes, advancing major nation-building projects, strengthening our defence industry and unlocking private investment across the country. We are really seeking to catalyze $1 trillion in investment. We are well on our way. We have seen a lot of commitments to invest in Canada. The UAE has committed $70 billion. Australian investors have committed $10 billion. We have $125 billion for 15 major projects that we will see creating about 60,000 or more jobs across Canada. These are results Canadians can bank on. We are also seeing some of the results of productivity-boosting deductions that we have offered businesses that are investing in R and D, IP protection, new information technology within their businesses and the like. There are a number of different tax deductions that we have offered, which are allowing businesses to invest in themselves, in turn boosting productivity and the economy. We are seeing wages double at the pace of inflation. That is a trend that has been continuing to increase year over year for three years now. That is good news for Canadians. I know we all can agree that productivity needs to continue to rise in order to see that standard of living rise as well, which is what Canadians all want to see.”

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In response to a question from Andrew Scheer

“The member opposite claims to care about hungry children, but he and his party voted against our school food program. That program would keep 400,000 kids from needing food banks. They also voted against our child benefit and our child care plans.”

“Madam Speaker, it is very hard to take the member opposite seriously when he mentions children being hungry, as he voted time and time again in this House, with his entire party, against a national school food program that would take 400,000 children out of food bank lineups. That is shameful. That is absolutely shameful that they would stand here and lecture us on feeding children across Canada. We have offered a Canada child benefit that puts hundreds of tax-free dollars into Canadians’ pockets. We reduced the cost of child care and we have offered free lunches at school, and the members opposite opposed all of it.”

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In response to a question from Andrew Scheer

“The Conservatives ignore the facts about our economy. Our deficit is down by 11 billion dollars. Canada has the strongest financial position in the G7. Manufacturing is growing, and our economy is doing better than expected.”

“Madam Speaker, the Conservatives have never met a fact they could not deny. The spring economic update shows $11 billion less of a deficit and strong fiscal guardrails. The International Monetary Fund recently stated that Canada has the strongest fiscal position in the G7. There is not only that: Headlines last night said that we have recently seen the largest monthly growth in the manufacturing industry in three years. Statistics Canada is projecting that Canada’s annualized GDP growth for the first quarter in 2026 is 1.7%, which is beyond expectations. Even the Bank of Canada governor said he is encouraged by the direction the federal government is taking.”

In response to a question from Leslyn Lewis

“Our government cut taxes in many ways. We cut taxes for clean energy, for people selling small businesses to their workers, and for investments. We also made it easier to get disability tax help and to file taxes.”

“Madam Speaker, I had run out of time because there are so many tax cuts that our government has put in place that I just could not fit them in, so let me continue. We cut taxes for those who invest in clean technology, clean hydrogen and clean electricity, as well as for those who invest in carbon capture, utilization and storage. We cut taxes for employers who sell their small business to their employees. We cancelled the capital gains tax increase. We made it easier to access the disability tax credit. Canada has the most competitive tax rate in all of the G7, and we have made it easier for Canadians to file their taxes so they can take advantage of both tax deductions and federal—”

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In response to a question from Leslyn Lewis

“Our government has cut taxes more than 19 times to help lower costs for Canadians. We cut taxes on fuel, income, new homes, and for many businesses and workers.”

“Madam Speaker, the member said, “more taxes.” From my count, our government has put in place over 19 tax cuts. We are singularly focused on bringing down costs for Canadians. We have paused the excise tax on fuel and cut the consumer carbon tax. We have cut income tax. We have cut GST on new homes. We have cut tax for mineral and critical mineral exploration. We have cut tax for businesses that invest in R and D, new machinery, equipment, IP protection and IT networks. We cut taxes for tradespeople who have to travel for work and for those who invest in clean tech—”

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In response to a question from Natilien Joseph

“Our government is making responsible choices. We are funding small craft harbours, sports, and making the disability tax credit easier to get.”

“Madam Speaker, I agree with the member that the government is making responsible decisions, whether it is investing in small craft harbours or sports from playground to podium. We are making it easier to access the disability tax credit. We are building a stronger Canada.”

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In response to a question from Eric Melillo

“Our economy is doing well. Our deficit is $11.5 billion lower than expected, foreign investment is at an 18-year high, and wages are growing twice as fast as inflation. Experts say Canada has the strongest financial position in the G7. The opposition should stop talking down our economy.”

“Madam Speaker, it is interesting to listen to the way the hon. member positions and contorts reality. When we look at what the government had projected in the previous budget, the spring economic update shows that we have $11.5 billion less of a deficit. That is due to the Canadian economy being more resilient. I do not know why the opposition is so triggered by this stuff. The International Monetary Fund would, arguably, be the world’s expert at analyzing the global economy and nations’ economies. It has said very specifically that Canada has the strongest fiscal position in the G7. I do not know how opposition members come into this House every day and talk down the Canadian economy. We have seen many signs of progress with foreign direct investment being at an 18-year high and wages doubling the rate of inflation. There is a lot of progress in our economy.”

In response to a question from Elizabeth May

“I do not know if that part will be removed from the bill. I will check and give the member an answer later.”

“Madam Speaker, I would have to look into that matter further and get back to the member because I am not aware of whether this particular section would be carved out of Bill C-30. I think the proposition now is that the bill is packaged into one piece, but I would be happy to look into it and get back to the member.”

In response to a question from Kevin Lamoureux

“I support this fund because it lets regular Canadians safely invest small amounts of money in big building projects and earn good returns. For example, a new nuclear project in my area will create thousands of jobs and grow our economy. Everyday people should be able to share in that wealth.”

“Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the opportunity to speak to this a little more. In my view right now, Canadians across the country believe in our country and in the strength of our country. They are resilient, but they want to help build the strongest economy in the G7. They are aligned with that vision, and I think people want to participate meaningfully in that. The sovereign wealth fund would give them an opportunity, a retail opportunity, to invest small amounts of money that are highly protected from any downside risk and that will get high returns, based on investments across Canada in major pieces of infrastructure that I know many of us are very proud to see are starting to get built. In my area, at the Darlington new nuclear facility, four small modular reactors are getting built, with 21,700 jobs. It is exciting. It is going to add $38 billion to Canada’s GDP over time. This is a good example of a project that will be highly revenue-generating and that many pension plans in Canada and around the world, such as the Canada Growth Fund, have invested in. The idea here is to make sure the Canadian public can also benefit from the prosperity and wealth that we are building together. That is exciting, and Canadians want to participate.”

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