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The Economy

During Question Period on the economy, Conservatives said Canada is in a recession, that food bank use and child poverty are at record levels, and that families are borrowing to afford food and housing while the Prime Minister spent nearly a million dollars on inflight catering during travel to the G7 summit. They asked the government to change its spending and economic policies so Canadians can afford to live. Liberal ministers pointed to the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit, a $1-billion investment in food infrastructure and terminals, increased competition, the national school food program, and Canada’s hitting its 2% NATO target, attracting foreign investment, and signing 20 economic and defence agreements. Several exchanges also turned into disputes between members over who had stood up for Saskatchewan and whether Conservatives vote against programs that help people in their own ridings.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

15 statements

Rosemarie Falk

Conservative
“The Prime Minister spent almost one million dollars on airplane food while millions of Canadians need food banks. Liberal spending and rules are driving up costs. I want the Prime Minister to change these policies so people can afford to live.”

  • A repeated line

    “When will the Liberal Prime Minister end his costly budgeting so Canadians can afford to live?”

    Said 13 times by 12 members since April 28.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, in just 14 trips, the Prime Minister spent nearly $1 million on inflight catering at taxpayers’ expense. Meanwhile, two in five Canadians struggle to put food on the table and a record 2.2 million Canadians rely on the food bank in a single month. Liberal inflationary spending, red tape and antidevelopment policies are driving up costs and weakening our economy. It is always Canadians who are left paying for Liberal waste. Will the Prime Minister reverse his costly policies that caused this crisis, so Canadians can afford to live again?

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Buckley Belanger

Liberal
“Our government stood up for Saskatchewan. Conservative MPs from Saskatchewan did nothing for 10 years, and they did not defend our canola trade deal.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am uncertain where that member has been over the last number of years, but I want to give them one good example of how this government stood up for Saskatchewan when 14 of them sat on their hands for 10 long years. I am talking to the Saskatchewan Conservative MP caucus. Why did you not defend this canola deal? Why did you not stand up—

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Buckley Belanger

Liberal
“The opposition did not stand up for Saskatchewan or the canola deal that brought billions of dollars to our farmers. They did nothing to help.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, why did they not stand up for Saskatchewan and the canola deal that brought billions to Saskatchewan producers? Again, they sat on their hands doing nothing.

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Rosemarie Falk

Conservative
“Food is too expensive, and government spending and rules are making it worse. I want to know when the government will stop driving up costs for Canadians.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, food affordability is so terrible that there is scurvy in that member’s riding. We cannot forget that this Prime Minister is the one who said affordability is the best that it has been in over a decade. He is showing up at the G7 as the only leader who has caused a recession in his own country. That is his Liberal government’s record: inflationary spending, red tape and antidevelopment policies that are driving up costs. It is not global factors; it is the Liberal choices that Canadians cannot afford. When will this government stop making life more expensive for Canadians?

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Buckley Belanger

Liberal
“Conservatives do not visit northern Saskatchewan to see our struggles. Every time we try to help with food, benefits, cheaper child care, or school lunches, they vote against it. We will keep standing up for all Canadians.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it would be really nice if I saw one Conservative visit northern Saskatchewan to deal with the issues that we are struggling with. Now, I would point out that every time we have an opportunity to help my riding, and many other ridings across this country, whether it is on food and essential benefits, the $10-a-day child care or the food program for the schools, every single time we make initiatives, they vote against them. We will take no lessons on helping any region in Saskatchewan that feels underserved. We will represent all Canadians and stand up for them forever.

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Gabriel Hardy

Conservative
“We are in a recession, and life costs too much for Canadians. Some families must borrow money just to buy food. The government's plans are failing. I want to know if the Prime Minister will face this problem instead of ignoring it while traveling.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Prime Minister is now the only G7 leader to push his country into recession.”

    Said 5 times by 5 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate and unpleasant, but we are in a recession, and people are feeling the pinch. Some families have to spend more than 120% of their income just on housing and food. It has reached the point where people are having to borrow money just to put food on the table. The reality is that the Liberals’ policies are not working, and the more power the Liberals have, the more it costs Canadians. Now the Prime Minister is about to attend the G7 summit as the only leader to have led his country into recession. Does he plan to continue dodging the issue by making more grand, inspiring speeches abroad while leaving families in Canada to pay the price?

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Nathalie Provost

Liberal
“We sent millions of Canadians money to help pay for their groceries. We know times are hard, and we are working to rebuild our economy.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, June 5, Canadians received the first instalment of the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. Millions of Canadians have received help with their grocery bills. We are very aware of the challenges Canadians are facing. Canadians are courageous, and they will work with us to rebuild our self-sustaining, strong and responsible economy.

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Gabriel Hardy

Conservative

Linked statement

“Government grocery payments are too small to help average workers. Families cannot afford groceries, rent, and gas because the Liberals caused a recession. The Prime Minister should take advice from other countries on how to fix the economy.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the programs. In Quebec, the average salary is $67,000. However, I received a photo of a Canada groceries and essentials benefit payment from a worker who earns exactly $67,000. He received $11.98 to help pay for groceries. Families can no longer afford groceries, rent and gas. The Liberals have plunged the country into a recession. I urge the Prime Minister to use his time at the G7 to heed the advice of all the other countries that are not in a recession. I think that could be beneficial to us.

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Nathalie Provost

Liberal
“We are spending $1 billion on food buildings and centres so Canadians can get food more easily. We are also increasing business competition to help people.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, my colleague’s question gives me the opportunity to discuss an announcement made last week. We are going to invest $1 billion in food infrastructure to make food terminals and hubs more accessible to Canadians. We are also going to improve competition. We are going to do this because it matters. Canadians need support. We are providing that support, and they support us because they, too, want to rebuild our country in a self-sustaining and responsible manner.

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Rachael Thomas

Conservative
“Canadians are struggling to afford food and housing while the Prime Minister spends public money on luxury airplane food. I want him to admit this and change his economic policies.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Prime Minister arrives at the G7 as the only leader who has driven his country into a recession.”

    Said 3 times by 3 members since June 15.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, today, the Prime Minister arrives at the G7 summit as the one and only leader who has led his country into a recession. This is what that looks like: Two in five Canadians struggle to be able to afford to feed themselves; full-time workers are living in RVs or a Tim Hortons; and food bank use has hit an all-time high. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister spends $1 million on luxury inflight catering, which includes things like Normandy butter cups, fine wines and braised beef. My question is very simple: When will the Prime Minister acknowledge the reality so many Canadians face and reverse his policy so they can afford to live again?

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal
“The member votes against programs that help people in Alberta. Our school food program feeds 58,000 children there and saves parents money, but she voted against it.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, that member of Parliament has risen before to ask questions like this, but I would ask her a question: Why does she keep voting against the very people in Alberta who are asking for a hand up? In fact, the national school food program in Alberta feeds 58,000 children, and parents are saving up to $13,700 a year per child. These are all things that member has voted against.

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Rachael Thomas

Conservative
“Child poverty has gone up for the last three years under this government. People in my riding are struggling to afford a place to live. The government needs to change its policies so Canadians can afford life again.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I think what that member meant to highlight was the fact that under the Liberal government, child poverty rates have increased year after year after year for the last three. This dramatically impacts the people of my riding in Lethbridge, Alberta. It means that seniors in this country are living at Tim Hortons. It means that full-time workers are living out of their RVs. Why does the government turn a blind eye to the reality of Canadians while it is living high on the horse? Why does it not reverse its policy so Canadians can finally afford to live again?

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal
“The member said parents do not want help, but Canadians tell me the opposite. We need to help each other and make sure no child goes hungry.”

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  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, if we check Hansard, we will find that member on record saying that parents do not want help. In fact, what I hear from Canadians, including Albertans, who write to me as the minister of jobs and families, is that we should stand up for each other, that we should make sure not one kid goes hungry, no matter if their parent is out of work, no matter if their family is struggling, because circumstances are unfortunate for families. What is most Canadian is the value of helping each other.

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Tamara Kronis

Conservative
“The Prime Minister has pushed Canada into a recession. Food bank use is at record levels, people cannot afford food, and workers cannot afford housing. I want the Prime Minister to end his expensive policies so Canadians can afford to live.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I will remind that member that today the Prime Minister is at the G7 summit as the only leader in the G20 who has caused a recession in his own country, technical or otherwise. He says the data can be uneven. What is not uneven is the pain. Food bank use is at record levels, while two in five Canadians struggle to eat and full-time workers live in people’s driveways because a paycheque no longer buys a home. This is all while the Prime Minister’s inflight catering bill for just 14 trips could feed a family for 55 years. When will this Prime Minister reverse his costly policies and make good on his announcements so Canadians can afford to live again?

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Jill McKnight

Liberal
“Canada has hit its NATO spending target, brought in a lot of foreign investment, and signed 20 trade and defence deals. People in British Columbia like this growth.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canada is represented at the G7 summit today as a country that has hit its 2% NATO target this year, as a country that has attracted foreign direct investment at twice the rate of our nearest G7 countries, and as a country that has secured 20 economic and defence agreements over four continents. British Columbians like to see this growth. This is Canada.

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Comment rules

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