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The Economy

Question period focused on the economy, mainly household debt and cost of living. The Conservatives said Canadian households carry the highest debt in the G7, more people are missing mortgage and bill payments, and bankruptcies are at their highest level since 2009; they asked the Prime Minister to cut taxes and spending and change his economic plans so people can afford to stay in their homes. The Liberals pointed to affordability measures such as the paused gas excise tax and cancelled consumer carbon tax, foreign investment, approvals of mines, LNG and energy projects, and training for well-paying union jobs, and suggested the opposition should support these programs and stop criticizing the country. Some exchanges were personal jabs about the party leaders rather than on the topic itself.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

16 statements

Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Canadians have more household debt than people in any other G7 country. More people are missing their mortgage payments. Why is this happening if the economy is doing well?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is fond of blaming the rest of the world for the terrible economy he has created here at home, but the other G7 countries face tariffs and high oil prices, and none of them have anywhere near the level of household debt here in Canada. By far, Canadian households, with $1.77 of debt for every dollar of income, are far more indebted than any other country: in fact, a third higher than the second-worst. I quote Equifax: “[The] missed payment level highlights severe financial strain in high-priced markets, with mortgage delinquencies [up] 52 per cent in Ontario and 36 per cent in [B.C.]”. If people are doing so well under his leadership, why are they missing their mortgage payments?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“We paused taxes to save Canadians 28 cents a litre on gas. The opposition leader should stop making videos and work with us to help Canadians.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 20 of 100

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

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 39 of 100

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

    See full analysis

  • A repeated line

    “We cut the consumer carbon tax.”

    Said 7 times by 2 members since April 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while that leader is focused on podcasts, fitness videos and empty-parking-lot press conferences, on this side of the House we are focused on delivering affordability for Canadians. We just paused the federal excise tax on gas, 10¢ a litre. We cancelled the consumer carbon tax, which is 18¢ a litre. Combined, that is 28¢ a litre in savings for Canadians. It is time for that leader to put down the kettlebells and help us build Canada strong.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Canadians have the highest household debt in the G7, and more people cannot pay their bills. I want the Prime Minister to change his economic plans so Canadians can afford to live.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, come on, the Prime Minister could have done better than that. If he is going to hide under his desk and get someone else to speak in his favour, he has to get something better than that. That was about as good as his economic policies. He owes Canadians answers. The reality is that we have the highest household debt of any G7 country, by far, and we have seen that in the first quarter of this year, there has been a 19% increase in year-over-year delinquencies. Canadians cannot make their minimum payments. Instead of smirking and hiding behind his back bench, will the Prime Minister stand up and announce he will reverse course so Canadians can pay their bills?

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal

Linked statement

“This afternoon, I had lunch with Sean Strickland from Canada's Building Trades Unions.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I had lunch with Sean Strickland from Canada’s Building— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal
“I paid for lunch with a union leader to hear ideas about creating good union jobs. These workers support our plan to build major projects with well-paying union jobs.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, since those guys do not know how to pick up a cheque, in fact, I paid for lunch and I took Sean Strickland, president of Canada’s Building Trades Unions, out for lunch because we want to hear their ideas about how we make sure that these good, union jobs, which, by the way, employers need all across the country, come to fruition. Canada’s Building Trades Unions’ operating engineers, who are here in Ottawa today, are all so excited about the plan to build Canada strong and get major projects off the ground using good union labour that provides great-paying jobs, something that I know they are going to—

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“More Canadians are going bankrupt now than at any time since 2009. I want the Prime Minister to stop his spending and debt policies so people do not go broke.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are skipping lunch because they cannot afford to pay their bills, while this Prime Minister and the Brookfield class skip their tax bills. Meanwhile, here at home, here is the reality. Equifax is out this week with a new report. This is the organization that checks the credit scores of individual Canadians. It says, “insolvency volumes have increased to levels not seen since 2009”, 18 years ago. Will the Prime Minister announce that he will reverse the inflationary, debt-ridden policies so that Canadians do not go bankrupt?

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal
“There is a mining boom in northern Ontario. People there are grateful that our government invests in natural resources and trains skilled workers for good jobs with pensions.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 39 of 100

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

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, last week I was in Marathon, Ontario, to talk about mining. There is a mining boom in northern Ontario, something I think these guys are not aware of. Do members know what came up over and over again? It was gratitude for a government that is taking seriously the investment into natural resource extraction in northern Ontario, that is helping provinces in the country get natural resource projects off the ground, and that is taking seriously the need to invest in the skilled trades workers, who, by the way, create the great jobs with pensions in hard-working environments, which is something I think that member does not really understand.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Millions of Canadians will soon renew their mortgages at much higher rates, and many are already missing payments. I want the Prime Minister to cut taxes and spending so people do not lose their homes.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, 3.1 million Canadians will renew their mortgages over the next two years into much higher rates after this Liberal government, in particular this Liberal Prime Minister, advised people to take on extra debt with the promise that rates would be low for long. Now, the chickens are coming home to roost, with rate increases that threaten more and more people with the loss of their homes. In the first three months of this year, 1.5 million Canadians missed a payment on a credit card or a mortgage. Will the Prime Minister announce that he is reversing the inflationary high-tax policies so Canadians keep their homes?

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Tim Hodgson

Liberal
“The Conservative leader should stop criticizing Canada and go see the energy and mining projects we are building across the country.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 0 of 100

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

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, instead of the Leader of the Opposition lifting kettlebells, maybe he should come to Kitimat and see where we are building new LNG facilities. Maybe he should come to Dease Lake, where we are building the biggest mines in the world. Maybe he should come to Darlington, where we are building new nuclear reactors. Maybe he should come to Nova Scotia, where we are building new projects. Maybe, instead of talking down Canada, he should start coming to see how we are building Canada.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Canadians cannot pay their bills. Our households have the most debt and the highest housing costs in the G7 because the government raised taxes, caused inflation, and blocked projects. I want the Prime Minister to change these policies so people do not lose their homes.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, he is bringing down Canada. It does not help the Canadians who cannot pay their bills for that minister to get up and take credit for projects that were approved 14 years ago, nor does it help when the Prime Minister of Canada refuses to even stand on his feet and defend his disastrous economic record at a time when our households are by far the most indebted anywhere in the G7 because the Liberals block projects, because they have raised taxes and because they have caused inflation and the highest housing costs in the entire group of seven nations. Will the Prime Minister reverse these inflationary policies before Canadians lose their homes?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“I want the member to explain why he opposes our programs that save Canadians thousands of dollars. He votes against cheaper child care, tax cuts, and the child benefit.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 16 of 100

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

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Respect 68 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “It is to save him writing the questions out for all the other members of the bench who do not get to ask the questions”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we know why this member asks all the questions. It is to save him writing the questions out for all the other members of the bench who do not get to ask the questions. While we are asking questions, when is that member going to answer why he would refuse saving Canadians thousands of dollars on child care? When is he going to justify his opposition to reducing taxes for Canadians? When is he going to justify his opposition to creating the Canada child benefit? All of these things save Canadians thousands of dollars. Why is he against them?

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“I am asking more questions because the Prime Minister only comes once a week and refuses to stand up and answer.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the reason I am asking a few extra questions is that the Prime Minister only shows up once a week, and he will not get out of his chair and answer them.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Canadians have too much debt and cannot pay their bills because of the Prime Minister. I want him to stop making life harder for them.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Respect 88 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “I know the Prime Minister is very fragile”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I know the Prime Minister is very fragile. He is not used to taking any difficult questions, but the reality is that Canadians cannot pay their bills. In the first year in office, he has driven up household delinquencies by 18%. He has given Canadians the worst household debt in the G7. Delinquencies have climbed by 32% year over year, and in Q1 we saw a 17-year high due to financial strains in Canadian household finances. Will the Prime Minister get off the backs of Canadians so they can pay their bills?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“Under this Prime Minister, Canada leads the G7 in foreign investment. We have approved big projects, mines, and building, and we are training young workers. The opposition should stop talking down our country.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, in the first year of this Prime Minister’s tenure, we have the number one leading economy in the G7 for foreign investment. In this Prime Minister’s first year, we have approved major projects. We have approved mines. We have approved building. We are training young Canadians, and we are building this country brick by brick. The blame Canada brigade can sit down and take a seat.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Canadians have too much debt, and housing, food, and unemployment are too high. I want the Prime Minister to change his policies so people can afford to pay their bills.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we have the number one economy in terms of debt for households, the number one economy in the cost of housing and the number one economy in the cost of food inflation. Those are the only metrics on which this government is leading. We are number two when it comes to unemployment, with the unemployment rate being a third higher than in the United States. Now we see the delinquencies and the missed payments leading to a potential bankruptcy crisis, while the Prime Minister sits and hides behind his back bench. Will he stand up, own up, take responsibility and announce the reversal of policies so Canadians can pay their bills?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“We have strong leaders who are cutting taxes and investing to build a strong economy. The Conservatives only use gimmicks. The member should stop making videos and help us.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 20 of 100

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

    See full analysis

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 37 of 100

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

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let us do a comparison. On this side, we have a world-class statesman and a world-class business and economic leader. On that side, they have empty-parking-lot press conferences with slogans, gimmicks and props. On this side of the House, we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7 and the most resilient economy in the G7. We are cutting taxes. We are investing in Canada. It is time for the member to stop the fitness videos and help us build Canada strong.

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