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The Economy

Question period focused on the economy, with Conservatives arguing that Canada is the only G7 country in a recession, with two straight quarters of contraction, rising food bank use and job losses, and saying the government’s spending and taxes caused it; they asked the government to acknowledge this, cut spending, and cancel taxes and regulations. Liberal ministers replied that Canada faces a trade war with the United States, pointed to major private investments and projects such as LNG deals, nuclear construction and port expansions, and cited affordability measures including the gas tax cut, grocery and school food supports, and Canada’s debt and growth figures relative to other G7 countries. Several replies also cited investments in the questioners’ own ridings.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

18 statements

Pat Kelly

Conservative

Linked statement

“Canada is the only G7 country in a recession because the government took on too much debt and made bad rules. Why are we the only one in a recession?”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canada is now the only G7 country in a recession. The Prime Minister spent the last year creating new bureaucracies, racking up debt and refusing to repeal job-killing regulations. Food insecurity is up. Job losses are up. Income insecurity is up. Insolvencies are up, and housing remains unaffordable. The rest of the world faces the same outside factors that this government is blaming for its failures. Why is Canada the only G7 country in a recession?

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Heath MacDonald

Liberal
“Big companies are investing billions of dollars in Canada. They are doing this because they believe in our country and our economy.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, sometimes it would be a good question to ask some of the CEOs of these companies that are making massive investments in Canada, like Kraft Heinz investing $250 million in Montreal and Bayer investing $45 million in canola research in Winnipeg. A couple of weeks ago, I was at K+S Potash in Saskatchewan, which is investing $3 billion over 10 years. Cargill in Saskatchewan is investing $350 million in a new crushing plant, and Imperial Oil in Strathcona is investing in biofuels. Are all these CEOs of these major international and national companies making a major mistake, or do they actually believe in Canadians like we do?

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Pat Kelly

Conservative
“Canada is in a recession, with three jobless people for every open job and basic costs taking up more than a family's whole income. I want the government to admit its failures caused this, apologize, and use our plan to develop resources and make life affordable.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we believe in Canadians. They can talk to CEOs. We are talking to Canadians. This Canada-only recession means that there are three unemployed Canadians for every vacant job. It means that taxes, food, housing and other essentials now account for more than 100% of an average family’s income. Will this Liberal government admit today that its long-term, ongoing failure to build up Canada’s economic resilience has driven Canada into the only G7 recession, apologize and implement the Conservative plan to unlock our resource wealth and make life affordable?

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Anita Anand

Liberal
“Our government lowered the tax on gas to make life cheaper, while cutting our deficit by more than $11 billion. We also made trade deals that connect us to 1.5 billion customers around the world. The opposition should admit these facts.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, our government has delivered real affordability measures, including cutting the gas excise tax, all while ensuring that we are reducing our projected deficit by more than $11 billion. Our trade agreements have opened up preferential access to 1.5 billion consumers across 16 trade agreements, 51 countries and roughly two-thirds of global GDP. Those are the facts. Maybe opposition members could recognize truth when they see it.

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Laila Goodridge

Conservative
“The economy is shrinking, and millions of Canadians cannot afford food. I want to know how the Prime Minister can justify spending so much public money on expensive meals and flights.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canada is the only country in the G7 in a recession. After two straight quarters of economic decline, the consequences are everywhere. One in four Canadians is food-insecure. Millions of people are struggling to put food on the table. Canadians are cutting back and lining up at food banks, yet reports of the Prime Minister’s lavish catering and elite events continue to pile up. The Prime Minister spent more money on airplane food for three flights than the average family would spend on food for an entire decade. How can the Prime Minister justify spending so lavishly while Canadian families are struggling to afford the basics?

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David McGuinty

Liberal
“We are investing between $3 billion and $4 billion in the member's riding and its military base. We are also buying new planes that will create thousands of jobs. The Conservatives just want to run Canada down.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member for Fort McMurray—Cold Lake rose to ask the question. It is important for her to remind her constituents that we are investing between $3 billion and $4 billion in her riding. We are making massive investments in the base there. She knows so. We also announced a very progressive move to procure the GlobalEye plane with Saab last week, with 3,000 new jobs in Canadian aerospace and defence and 22,000 jobs in Canadian multi-mission aircraft. The list goes on and on. I know the Conservatives do not want to hear it. They are too busy running down this beautiful country.

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Laila Goodridge

Conservative
“The Prime Minister is spending too much money while Canadians struggle to buy food. One in five food bank clients now has a job. The government blames global problems, but other rich countries are doing better.”

  • A repeated line

    “After more than a decade of Liberal government.”

    Said 13 times by 11 members since May 7.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the truth is that the Prime Minister continues to spend lavishly while Canadians struggle to put food on the table. After more than a decade of Liberal inflationary spending, Canadians are being stuck with the bill while government racks up debt and pays for luxury perks. Food Banks Canada’s newest poverty report card warns that too many Canadians have incomes not meeting the cost of living and having a job is no longer a reliable path to stability. Let that sink in. Working Canadians now make up one in five food bank clients. The Prime Minister says this recession is a result of global economic crisis and tariff problems. If that is true, why is there no other country in G7—

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John Zerucelli

Liberal
“Our plan is creating thousands of jobs and bringing in major investments across Canada. We are building our economy to handle trade challenges.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we have Canada’s first European LNG agreement, more than $30 billion in investments secured; the Nouveau Monde Graphite mine project in Quebec, over 1,000 new jobs, shovels in the ground; the Darlington new nuclear project, 18,000 construction jobs; the Contrecoeur port expansion, shovels in the ground; and 150 Airbus A220s, the largest order of Canadian-built aircraft in Canadian history. As the Conservatives know, Canada is facing a trade war. We have a plan, and we are building.

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Roman Baber

Conservative
“The Prime Minister promised our economy would grow, but Canada is now in a recession. Millions of people use food banks while he spends thousands of dollars on airplane food. I want him to take blame for the bad economy, build a pipeline, make trade deals, and spend less money.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7. Instead, Canada is the only G7 country in a recession: not a technical recession, a full-blown recession with two consecutive quarters of contraction. Since this Prime Minister took office, Canada has had three out of four quarters of contraction. While 2.2 million Canadians are at the food bank, this Prime Minister spends almost $200,000 on inflight catering on three flights. That $200,000 could feed 10 Canadian families for a whole year. Will the Prime Minister own his economic failure, get a trade deal, build a pipeline and stop spending like a Liberal?

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Jennifer McKelvie

Liberal
“Our government is spending money on infrastructure and housing, including a sewer project in the member's riding. These investments create jobs and help the economy.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister has been clear: It is time to invest to build Canada strong. I will point out that in that member’s riding, that includes the Black Creek sanitary sewer, which will expand waste-water servicing capacity to the Black Creek watershed. This is just one of the many projects that we have under way to build Canada strong. We are investing in infrastructure, and we are investing in housing. We are making these important investments in communities across Ontario so that we can create jobs and economic prosperity for all Canadians.

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Roman Baber

Conservative
“Canada is in a recession and our economy is struggling under this Prime Minister. I want him to cancel his pipeline laws and the industrial carbon tax to help our economy recover.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, lights are out on the north side of the House, no more excuses. Canada is the only G7 country in a recession. Where is the fastest-growing economy? Instead, we have the highest household debt in the G7 and the second-highest unemployment, and insolvencies are at the highest level since 2009. All these metrics got worse under this Prime Minister, but he continues to choke Canadian energy with his net-zero fantasy. Will the Prime Minister take our advice, repeal his anti-pipeline laws, axe the industrial carbon tax and bring back Canada’s economy?

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Jennifer McKelvie

Liberal
“We are funding big building projects across Canada. These projects create good jobs and help the economy.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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

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  • A repeated line

    “The expansion of the Port of Montreal.”

    Said 7 times by 5 members since April 28.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, in every corner of this country, from coast to coast to coast, we are seeing work on incredible projects that strengthen our economy while creating good jobs: the expansion of the Port of Montreal, the Darlington nuclear facility, the Mersey River wind farm project in Nova Scotia, the Scarborough subway extension, the Hamilton LRT and the upgrade of the Cambie Street Bridge in Vancouver. We are investing in Canada to build Canada strong.

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Kelly DeRidder

Conservative
“Canada is the only G7 country in a recession. The Liberals promised our economy would grow the fastest, but they failed. They should take responsibility instead of blaming tariffs.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canada is the only country in the G7 in a recession. Imagine hiring someone for a job and in the interview they said that they would give the fastest-growing economy in the G7, but they actually delivered the only economy in the G7 in a recession. It is the exact opposite result to the promise. What would be the consequence? I think accountability would be a good start. Instead of taking accountability, though, the Liberals are blaming the tariffs. If this were true, then why is Canada the only country in the G7, with all facing tariffs, in a recession?

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Anna Gainey

Liberal
“We are in a trade war with the United States, which hurts our economy. That is why we are sending money to 12 million Canadians this Friday to help them buy food and essentials.”

  • A repeated line

    “12 million Canadians will receive the Canada groceries and essentials benefit.”

    Said 7 times by 5 members since June 1.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is important to remind everyone that we are in a trade war with the United States. This does present unique challenges for our economy, which is why this government has taken action to help Canadians with affordability. Notably, on Friday, 12 million Canadians will receive the groceries and essentials benefit. This is a $950 benefit for a single Canadian, over $1,200 for a couple and upwards of $1,800 for a vulnerable family of four. This will make a real difference for Canadians, and we are proud to support these commitments.

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Kelly DeRidder

Conservative
“The government's plan does not make life cheaper. Working people still cannot afford food. Why is Canada the only country in the G7 with a shrinking economy?”

  • A repeated line

    “Why is Canada the only G7 country in a recession?”

    Said 16 times by 13 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, if these measures actually did anything for affordability, we would not have the lineups at the food banks that we are seeing. This exact program is going to reach fewer than half of Canadians out there who are working at jobs. I am going to repeat the question. France is facing tariffs, Germany is facing tariffs, Italy is facing tariffs. Japan is facing tariffs. Why is Canada the only country in the G7 with our economy in a recession?

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Anna Gainey

Liberal
“Our government is helping people with the cost of living. We made the school food program permanent, which can save a family up to $800. We are also funding child care, dental care, and child benefits to support Canadians during this trade dispute with the United States.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are working hard and this government is working hard for Canadians. We have taken real action on affordability. This includes making the national school food program permanent, which represents savings of up to $800 for a family with children in school. We have made investments in child care and dental care and continue to invest in the Canada child benefit. We are there to support Canadians as they face affordability challenges and as we face this tariff war with the United States.

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Vincent Ho

Conservative
“The Liberals caused a recession in Canada, and we are the only G7 country in one. The economy is shrinking, and food bank use has doubled in seven years. I want to know why no other G7 country is in a recession if this is really a global problem.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canada is now the only G7 country in a homegrown made-by-Liberal recession. This must be the new world order the Liberal Prime Minister keeps bragging about. There have been two back-to-back quarters of negative growth and three contractions in the last four quarters. Food bank use has exploded nationwide and has doubled in just seven years. One in 10 in the GTA now relies on food banks, with a record 4.1 million visits just last year, more than quadrupling since 2019, and lower-income families spend over 100% of their income on essentials. If this recession is really caused by tariffs and global energy problems, then why is no other G7 country in a recession?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“Canada's economy is doing well compared to other rich countries. We have low debt, fast growth, and a strong budget. We will keep focusing on building a strong economy.”

  • 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. Speaker, instead of cherry-picking data, maybe the member should listen to the Bank of Canada governor who said we should look at key indicators. We have the best net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 and the strongest fiscal position in the G7. The list goes on and on. On this side, we are going to focus on building a strong economy. On that side, they continue with the rhetoric.

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