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The Economy

Question period focused on the state of the Canadian economy. Conservative members said Canada is the only G20 country in a recession, citing shrinking GDP in three of the last four quarters, falling business investment and productivity, low household savings, rising food bank use, and regional job losses; they asked the Prime Minister to confirm whether the country is in a recession and to acknowledge that the government’s economic plan has failed. Liberal ministers responded that the economy created 88,000 jobs in May with unemployment falling, pointed to a one-time Canada groceries and essentials benefit paid to about 12 million Canadians, and cited major investments and job creation such as Shell’s $20 billion investment, the Darlington nuclear project, LNG Canada, and other energy and defence projects.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

12 statements

Gabriel Hardy

Conservative
“Our economy is weak, and millions of Canadians are using food banks. I want the Prime Minister to answer yes or no: is Canada in a recession?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while 2.2 million Canadians line up at food banks, the Liberals are still refusing to let Canadians know that we are the only G20 nation in a recession. The apparent reason has something to do with decisions made over the past 11 years and the Liberals’ lack of vision. Let us look at the facts: Economic growth is sluggish, productivity is weak and deficits already exceed what was forecast in the budget. After a week of dodging the question, can the Prime Minister tell us, yes or no, if we are in a recession? The first step toward solving a problem is to acknowledge it.

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“Canada created about 88,000 jobs last month, and unemployment went down in Quebec for women, youth, and men. Our economy is doing well, and we will keep making it stronger.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, obviously, the member opposite missed the stellar jobs report that came out last Friday. Had he read it, he would have seen that Canada has created some 88,000 jobs. However, there is more good news. In our province, Quebec, the province with the second-lowest unemployment rate, unemployment rates fell for women, youth and men. Across the country, this is good news for Canada. We are going to keep building Canada very strong.

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Gabriel Hardy

Conservative
“Canada's economy slowed down in three of the last four quarters. This means we are in a recession. The Prime Minister needs to admit his economic plan is failing.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, my colleague may not be aware of this, but on May 15, 2016, when the Prime Minister was the governor of the Bank of England, he said that the technical definition of a technical recession is two consecutive quarters of flat or negative growth. Let us look at what is happening in Canada. The economy has slowed down in three of the last four quarters. That is not two quarters, but rather three of the last four quarters. What will it take for the Prime Minister to realize that his plan is not working and that the Liberal government’s actions over the past 11 years have led us straight into a recession?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“People are still struggling to afford daily life. That is why we sent a one-time payment to 12 million Canadians last Friday, including $543 for single people and $1,086 for families of four.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 46 of 100

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

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, despite the good news we received last Friday regarding employment and unemployment, we know that there are still people in this country who are struggling with affordability. That is why, also on Friday, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit was paid into the bank accounts of 12 million Canadians, providing $543 to single people and $1,086 to couples with two children. That is one-time assistance to Canadians who need it.

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Tim Uppal

Conservative

Linked statement

“Canada is in a recession. Business investment and worker productivity keep dropping. I want the government to admit that its economic plan has failed.”

  • 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 this Liberal Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession, and in the last few days, we have learned more about how bad the numbers actually are. Stats Canada reports that business investment has now fallen for five straight quarters. Labour productivity has declined in three of the last four quarters. If the Prime Minister’s plan is working, why are Canadian businesses seeing a continuous decline in investment and productivity? Will the Liberals admit that we are in a recession and that their plan is not working at all?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“Astronaut Jeremy Hansen is visiting Parliament today. Also, Canada added 88,000 jobs in May. The Conservatives should support our work to strengthen the country.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what a great day it is to be Canadian when we have Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the Hill today. He brought this country together. The Conservatives love numbers. I know they love numbers, so here is a number for them: 88,000. The Canadian economy created 88,000 jobs in May. That is an amazing accomplishment. On this side of the House, we are going to focus on building a Canada strong. It is time for them to get on board.

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Tim Uppal

Conservative
“Canadians have fewer jobs, less savings, and cannot afford food and rent after ten years of this government. I want the Prime Minister to explain why he claims the economic downturn is only technical.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while it is good to see some positive job numbers, the fact is that we are still thousands of jobs below where we were at the beginning of this year. Under this Liberal Prime Minister, household savings have fallen to their lowest level in years. Families are struggling to keep up with the cost of groceries, housing and other necessities. Some Canadians are now spending more than 120% of their income on food and rent alone. However, the Liberals claim that it is only a technical recession. Will the Prime Minister explain to Canadians why they are only technically worse off after a decade with this Liberal government?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“I announced a one-time payment to help people buy groceries and essentials. Our government is investing in the country and building a strong economy.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 31 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, actually, last Friday in Halifax, I had the honour to announce the one-time top-up payment of the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which will pay 50% of an annual groceries and essentials benefit return. On this side of the House, we are going to build a strong economy. I know that party loves the glass half empty, but on this side, the glass is half full. Our Prime Minister is building a strong economy for all Canadians. We are going to continue to invest in Canada and build Canada strong.

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Andrew Lawton

Conservative
“Canada's economy is shrinking, debt is up, and we are in a recession. The Prime Minister needs to admit this is happening.”

  • 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 in a recession right now, and it is no surprise why, with the Liberal Prime Minister’s record. The economy has shrunk in three of the last four quarters. Labour productivity is getting worse. Investment is leaving the country. Government spending and debt are up. Even the Prime Minister’s own hand-picked economic watchdog has had to downgrade the forecast for this country. A government that will not acknowledge the problem sure as heck cannot fix it. Will the Prime Minister admit that Canada is in a recession?

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Tim Hodgson

Liberal
“The opposition says investment is leaving Canada, but that is not true. Billions of dollars are being invested here in energy, the military, and other projects.”

  • 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, the member says that investment is leaving the country. How about the $20 billion that Shell just invested in this country? How about the $8 billion being invested for the Canadian Armed Forces in Goose Bay? How about the wind farms in Nova Scotia? How about the Darlington nuclear reactors in his province? They say investment is leaving this country. They should wake up and see what is going on.

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Andrew Lawton

Conservative
“My region has lost over 21,000 jobs in two and a half years, and people are struggling. I want the minister to admit that the country is in a recession.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Respect 79 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “I wish the minister were as interested in the jobs of Canadians as he is in his own”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I wish the minister were as interested in the jobs of Canadians as he is in his own. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said the Liberal government has a 1% chance of meeting its fiscal anchor, which is still better odds than getting a straight answer from the government in question period. Behind these numbers are people: people in food bank lines, people going on unemployment, young people who cannot get that critical first job. The London region, which includes St. Thomas and Elgin, has lost another 600 jobs in the last month, bringing it up to over 21,000 in the last two and a half years. Maybe the minister will not tell me there is a recession, but will he tell these Canadians there is?

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Tim Hodgson

Liberal
“I care about the tens of thousands of jobs our government is creating across Canada, not the member's job.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 35 of 100

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

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what I am not interested in is his job. I am interested in the 18,000 jobs we have created at Darlington. I am interested in the 2,000 jobs we have created at Contrecœur. I am interested in the 8,000 jobs at LNG Canada. I am interested in the 5,000 jobs we are going to create at Ksi Lisims. I could keep going. He should start worrying about his job.

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