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Business of Supply

This was a Business of Supply debate taking place during consideration of the government’s recent economic update legislation. Conservatives pressed the Finance Minister on deficit spending, asking when the budget would be balanced, how many homes are being built, the costs of a planned sovereign wealth fund, and details of specific spending items such as a spaceport lease, while repeatedly saying the minister was not answering their questions. Liberals defended the government’s record, saying the economy is strong, the deficit is lower than expected, and housing prices and rents have come down. The Bloc Québécois asked about the exemption of American companies from the global minimum tax in Bill C-31 and about wage subsidies for workers affected by tariffs, and the NDP asked why the government is not taxing oil company excess profits or banning surveillance pricing. Some members also raised local matters such as support for regional media.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

366 statements

Kody Blois

Liberal

Linked statement

“Our plan asks farming regulators to think about the economy when they make rules. Environmental and health safety still matter, but so does food security. I want the minister to explain how changing these rules will help cut red tape and grow the economy.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I agree with the hon. minister. He may have been referencing the hon. member for Peterborough and her experience in working in the agriculture sector. Let me go on the record in seconding the minister’s belief that the member for Peterborough is a great champion in this House, along with the hon. member for Compton—Stanstead. We have a whole host of leaders in that agricultural space. There is one thing I want to ask the minister. In the spring economic update, there is an intention from the government to change the mandate of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CFIA, and also the Pesticides Regulatory Directorate, the former PMRA, to put an economic lens on the decisions. Of course, I know all members of this House would agree that environmental and health safety are paramount, but so too is food security and economic decision-making around the regulators. The minister has a very big portfolio, but this is part of the work that the government is doing around red tape. Whether they are in Peterborough or Kings—Hants, farmers have pointed to this government leadership as being a great example of trying to look at regulatory agility. Would the hon. minister be able to speak to the CFIA and PRD amendments specifically, or talk more broadly about regulatory reform and agility and how it is part of our economic growth agenda?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“We are supporting Canadian farmers to protect our food supply. Canada imports most of its fresh produce, especially in the winter. We are helping people get money for groceries and investing in greenhouses so we can grow more food here.”

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    Relevance 35 of 100

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    Signal 32 of 100

    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. Chair, it is amazing. We are getting to 11 p.m. and the questions are getting better and better. It is great. I will not say they are coming from this side of the House, but I want to celebrate the member for Peterborough to start with. She is an amazing colleague, but also a great farmer. I want to thank her. Being members of Parliament, bringing our expertise and our experience to the House is what our work is all about. She is a farmer. She knows how things work. I can tell everyone who is watching in Peterborough that they have an amazing member of Parliament. Every opportunity she has to tell me about the reality of farming in this country, she takes. I want to celebrate her and all the farmers in the country. Wherever they are in the country, we celebrate them, and they should be feeling good that they have people in the House who represent their industry. It is a way of life when one is a farmer. Being both a member of Parliament and a farmer is quite a unique position. I want to thank the member for Compton—Stanstead as well. To my colleague’s point, it is true that when we think about farming, it is also about economic security. I would say the world today realizes the nexus between food security, energy security, economic security and national security. There is this great nexus that is coming together. When it comes to food security, Canadians can count on Canadian farmers. We can play a big role in feeding Canadians. This is why we want to make structural investments. The member for Kings—Hants has been helping us. Not only do we have the groceries benefit that is going to come to Canadians, with 12 million Canadians receiving it on June 5, but we have also made structural investments in greenhouses, for example, so we can grow more. During the year, we might import 60% of our fresh produce, but when it gets to winter, we get to 80% or 90%. One way of having better management of the cost is to grow more in Canada, to become more resilient. I want to thank the member for Kings—Hants again for bringing me to some of these facilities to better understand how we can support that, with the member for Peterborough—

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Kody Blois

Liberal
“Canada has a strong economy, a top credit rating, and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. I want the minister to briefly explain how he shares this good news with Canadians.”

  • A repeated line

    “We have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7.”

    Said 17 times by 13 members since April 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, the hon. member for Waterloo is a great colleague. She and I have talked a lot about Canada’s fiscal position. We have a AAA credit rating. We have the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. We have a strong fiscal position. I do not want the minister to take a whole lot of time, because I only have two minutes, but does he have quick comments on Canada’s fiscal position and how he would message that to Canadians?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“I want to praise the member for Waterloo for her work supporting innovation in her community.”

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Official Hansard

As I said, Mr. Chair, the questions are getting better and better. I think we will ask if we should extend a bit now because we are getting into the real issues. I want to thank the member for Waterloo, who hosted me recently. We have seen so much innovation in that region. Mr. Chair, I know you do not have the time to travel with me everywhere I go in the country, but you should come once to Waterloo with me. You would see that the member of Parliament is so well respected by everyone. She represents the University of Waterloo. Every person I have met there knows the work she is doing. She has been an amazing ambassador for the innovation and the work in Waterloo. I want to applaud her and celebrate her work. She has been a—

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Kody Blois

Liberal
“Fishing is the base of Atlantic Canada's economy. I want the minister to talk about our big investment in small craft harbours.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I am sorry I had to cut the minister off. He is great, but I have to get in one last question. I see the hon. member for South Shore—St. Margarets, who has done great work on China, on the file around lobsters and working with the government to remove tariffs. I see the hon. member for Labrador and the member for Avalon. I can say that it is fisheries that matter in Atlantic Canada. It is the base of our economy. I would be remiss as a member from Nova Scotia to not ask the minister in the time we have remaining to talk about small craft harbours and a generational investment. Why does the hon. minister not take us away on that happy note?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“The member for South Shore—St. Margarets came to my office and pushed hard for money for small craft harbours. I listened and took action.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I am going to turn my back just for a second to say that the member for South Shore—St. Margarets came to my office to advocate for small craft harbours. She was there. She put her fist on the table. She said that I needed to listen and that we are going to do something. We did—

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