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The Economy

Question period focused on the economy, with Conservatives repeatedly saying Canada is the only G20 country in a recession, citing rising food insecurity, mortgage and bankruptcy pressures, and asking the government to say whether the country is in a recession. They also criticized spending on the Prime Minister’s travel, including roughly $200,000 in flight catering over three trips. Liberal ministers pointed to trade agreements, investments in housing, transit, infrastructure, energy and critical minerals across the country, and said members should not talk down the economy; several replies also raised the Leader of the Opposition’s $8.8 million in office expenditures for 2024, saying he should explain them.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

14 statements

Jasraj Hallan

Conservative
“The Prime Minister caused our recession while spending thousands of dollars on expensive meals on his flights. I want him to tell us how bad this recession really is.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the only leader in the entire G20 to force their country into a recession is the Liberal Prime Minister. He forced the same 2.2 million Canadians to pay for his lavish 200,000 dollars’ worth of meals on just three flights. In fact, he spent more on salmon on those three flights than what an average family will spend on groceries for the entire year. He is forcing Canadians to sacrifice so that he can stuff his face with crème brûlée. Will he stand up on his two feet and tell us, is this a technical recession or a full-blown Liberal one?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“When the Prime Minister travels, he brings new business and investment back to Canada. I hope he travels more so we can keep building more ports, railways, and bridges.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 46 of 100

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

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Clarity 38 of 100

    Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am happy, because we had a nice exchange this morning at the finance committee on this very issue. Every time the Prime Minister travels somewhere, he comes back and tells his ministers about the investments and the economic opportunities that are coming back to this country. It keeps us very busy, thanks very much. For my part, I hope he travels more, because we will be building more infrastructure, we will be building more ports, we will be building more railways, we will be building more bridges, we will be building this country strong and we will be building it well.

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Jasraj Hallan

Conservative
“The Prime Minister wastes money on trips and fails to make real trade deals. Millions of Canadians cannot afford food and over a hundred thousand recently lost their jobs. What is the plan to fix this recession?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, every time the Prime Minister leaves, he stuffs his face with 200,000 dollars’ worth of lavish meals on the taxpayer dime. We see a lot of fake signings of MOUs, a lot of fake handshakes, a lot of nothing and zero dollars in trade deals. That is why Canada has been thrown into a full-blown Liberal recession. The Liberal government has done nothing for the average Canadian. That is why 2.2 million Canadians are facing food insecurity in this country and why 120,000 lost their jobs in the first three months of this year. Will he tell us, what is the plan to get out of this full-blown Liberal recession?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“The Conservatives should stop talking down our economy. Canada has skilled workers, energy, and key minerals. We make planes, cars, and ships, and we have free trade with all other G7 nations. Our economy will soon be the second-fastest growing in the G7.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 36 of 100

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

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  • A repeated line

    “We are going to build Canada strong.”

    Said 33 times by 14 members since April 24.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am sure Canadians who are watching today are fed up with the Conservatives’ talking down the Canadian economy. Canada is a great country. We have the most educated workforce. We build planes. We build cars. We build ships. We have the critical minerals that the world needs. We have an abundance of energy. We are the only G7 country with free trade with all the other G7 nations. We are going to build Canada strong. We are going to build it together. We are going to have the second-fastest-growing economy in the G7. That is Canada.

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John Brassard

Conservative
“The Prime Minister spends too much money on luxury food for flights while everyday Canadians struggle. I want him to tell us if Canada is in a recession.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the only things they build are debt, deficit and a Liberal Prime Minister who has made Canada the only G20 country in a recession. While Canadians are told to make sacrifices, do members know who is not making sacrifices? It is the Prime Minister, as well as his well-connected Liberal insiders. Recently released documents show $200,000 spent on food for just three flights, including $18,000 for salmon for just one flight alone. That is more than the average family will spend in groceries in 2026. As seniors line up at food banks and families pay the price, will the Prime Minister finally tell us whether we are actually in a technical recession or a recession?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“The Leader of the Opposition spent $8.8 million on his office in 2024. The Prime Minister spent $4.1 million. The Conservative leader spent more than double, and he needs to explain why.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 0 of 100

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we have some news here. We looked up leader expenditures for 2024, and I will be very interested to look at 2025, because we all know what happened there. We had a summer sojourn at Stornoway that was a little iffy. However, in 2024, Mr. Leader of the Opposition spent $8.8 million in the Leader of the Opposition’s office, and he does not have to make one single decision. The Liberal leader spent $4.1 million. That is double. That is bad. They have some answering to do.

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John Brassard

Conservative
“Canada is in a recession. People cannot afford their mortgages, bankruptcies are up, and most people have almost no money left at the end of the month. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister spent thousands of dollars on luxury food in Rome. I want an honest answer from the government: are we in a recession?”
Official Hansard

We will do the whole PCO next week for them, Mr. Speaker, and you will get a kick out of that. Canada’s the only G20 country that is in a recession. While it may be a laughing matter to them, Canadians are missing mortgage payments, bankruptcies are up and nearly 60% have little or no money left over at the end of the month. The Liberal Prime Minister spent money in Rome: $4,213 on crème brûlée, $3,800 on chocolate and $593 on luxury Normandy buttercups, whatever that is. Canadians deserve an honest answer. Are we in a recession or a technical recession? Tell us the truth.

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“The Leader of the Opposition has spent 8.8 million dollars of public money. Our government is serious about the economy. We are making trade deals, cutting taxes, and spending money on housing, defence, and building projects.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 27 of 100

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

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  • A repeated line

    “We are going to build Canada strong.”

    Said 33 times by 14 members since April 24.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is $8.8 million. The Leader of the Opposition has been in the House for 22 years. He has never had a job outside of the House, yet he spent $8.8 million. On this side of the House, we are serious about the economy. We are serious about building an economy for all Canadians. Abroad, we are signing trade deals. At home, we are cutting taxes. We are investing in infrastructure. We are investing in housing, in aerospace, in defence and more. We are going to build Canada strong. They can continue with the rhetoric.

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Sandra Cobena

Conservative

Linked statement

“Canadians are struggling to afford food while the Prime Minister wastes thousands of dollars on expensive meals for his flights. He cannot control his own spending, so Canadians cannot trust him to fix the economy.”

  • 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 G20 country to fall into a recession. Canadians are struggling with food affordability. One in four is now food insecure, yet the Prime Minister racks up $200,000 in airplane catering in three trips. He spent $17,000 on salmon alone, which is more than most families spend on food in an entire year. If the Prime Minister cannot control his own reckless spending, how can Canadians trust him to get us out of this recession, or is it technically not his problem?

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Jennifer McKelvie

Liberal
“Our government is spending money on transit, sewers, and power in Ontario. These projects will create jobs.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 42 of 100

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, at this moment, our government is making important investments in communities throughout Ontario, and these investments are going to create jobs for all Canadians. We know it is time to invest in Ontario. This is why we are investing in the Black Creek sanitary trunk sewer, the Kitchener central transit hub, the downtown connection hub in the city of Barrie, the Scarborough subway, the Hamilton LRT and the Darlington nuclear power plant. All of these are in Ontario, where the member is from. We care about Ontario, and it is time to invest.

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Sandra Cobena

Conservative
“Canadians are struggling in a recession, but the Prime Minister and his circle are spending huge amounts on travel, food, and bonuses. Why do they not have to make sacrifices too?”

  • 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, $94,000 was spent on a single flight. Only a member of the Liberal insider class cannot see a problem with that. It is more than five families spend in an entire year on groceries. Canada is the only G20 country in a recession, and Canadians are struggling. If one is in the Prime Minister’s entourage, well, one can expect $200,000 in catering. Federal executives get tens of millions of dollars in bonuses despite missing performance targets. If the Prime Minister thinks sacrifice is necessary, why are he and everyone in his inner circle exempt from it, especially in a recession?

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Jennifer McKelvie

Liberal
“Our government is investing in housing, internet, and transit across the country. The opposition just wants to tear Canada down.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 40 of 100

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

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are focused on doing the hard work of building our country and building our economy. Two weeks ago, our government announced $350 million in housing and infrastructure investments in the Yukon to deliver stronger communities in the north. Three weeks ago, we announced $61 million in funding for high-speed Internet projects in northern Manitoba. Four weeks ago, we celebrated station construction being under way at all eight stations along the Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension. We are doing the hard work from coast to coast to coast to build Canada. All they want to do is tear it down.

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David Bexte

Conservative
“The government is spending too much money on travel while people struggle to buy food. I want the Prime Minister to tell Canadians if our country is 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, under the Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession. Canadians are being told to tighten their belts while the Prime Minister cannot stop spending. On a single trip, taxpayers were billed more than $17,000 for salmon, which is more than many Canadian families spend on food for an entire year. Meanwhile, the environment minister said it was reasonable to spend half a million dollars on luxury accommodations in Brazil on a junket. With all the extravagant spending, will the Prime Minister stop dodging and tell Canadians the truth? Are we in a recession or merely a technical recession?

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John Zerucelli

Liberal
“The Conservative leader must explain $8.8 million in missing expenses. We are building the economy during a trade war. We secured a big gas deal in Europe and are backing mine and nuclear projects that bring thousands of trade jobs. I want the Conservatives to support our work.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 38 of 100

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

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party leader needs to explain the $8.8 million of unaccounted for, unexplained expenses. The Conservatives know that we are in the middle of a trade war, but we have a plan. We are building. Let me give some examples. There is Canada’s first European LNG agreement, with more than $30 billion in investment secured. The Nouveau Monde Graphite mine project will provide thousands of jobs in the skilled trades. The Darlington nuclear project in Ontario will provide thousands of jobs in the skilled trades. We are building this country. We are fighting for Canadians. I hope the Conservatives join us.

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