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Small Business

Question period focused on small business and the Canadian economy. Conservative members cited Statistics Canada and CFIB figures — falling business investment, weak entrepreneurship, and low confidence among small business owners — and said high taxes, deficits, and red tape were discouraging investment, asking the government to change its economic policies and lower costs. Liberal ministers and members replied that the economy is performing well despite global trade pressures, pointing to provincial trade barrier reductions, new trade partnerships and export support, a business investment tax deduction in budget 2025, and a $5 billion foreign investment announcement, and said the Conservatives lack their own economic plan. Some exchanges included personal remarks about party leaders’ business experience.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

14 statements

Brad Vis

Conservative
“Business investment has dropped for five quarters in a row. I want the government to change its policies to help small businesses succeed.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we are incredibly worried. Statistics Canada reported on May 29 that “business capital investment fell 0.7% in the first quarter of 2026, the fifth consecutive quarterly decline”. After years of policies that have left small business owners struggling, will these Liberals reverse their policies so businesses can get ahead?

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Tim Hodgson

Liberal
“The Prime Minister announced $5 billion in new foreign investments today. We are bringing money into Canada to create jobs, while the opposition only criticizes the country.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 40 of 100

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  • Government answer in Question Period

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    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. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is not the only person with good news. The Prime Minister today announced $5 billion of new investment in this country from Japan, Italy, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, France and Portugal. We are focused on bringing capital to this country and investment into this country to create jobs. They are focused on talking down Canada.

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Brad Vis

Conservative
“Most small business owners feel the government does not support them. I want to know why the government will not lower costs to help them compete.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for Eglinton—Lawrence badgered the CFIB as to why his own government’s policies were not reaching Canadian small businesses. The CFIB says three in four entrepreneurs do not feel supported by the government, and many would not start a business today. Why will the government not lower costs and give small businesses a real chance to compete, so we do not continue losing capital to other countries?

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Rechie Valdez

Liberal
“Our government is helping small businesses. We cut trade barriers between provinces, helped them find new trading partners, and spent $60 million to help them export goods. We are also making it easier for them to sell to the government.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, small business investment is up by 10%. The first thing our government did in terms of action was to bring down federal trade barriers across provinces and territories so small business goods could flow across the country. We are also diversifying trade, making sure that we are able to secure investment. We heard many references today. Do colleagues know who is going to benefit from that? It will be small and medium-sized enterprises. Through our buy Canadian policy, federal procurement opportunities are going to be opened up so that small and medium-sized enterprises can take advantage of this. We have invested $60 million for a small and medium-sized business export readiness program that will help ensure that we can secure—

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Jason Groleau

Conservative
“The Liberal government is hurting small businesses and stopping them from investing in Canada. I want to know if the government realizes it is the main obstacle to investment.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, according to the the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, or CFIB, Canadian SMEs and entrepreneurs are still being overlooked by the Liberal government. Businesses in Beauce do not need empty promises. They need a government that stands up for them. Liberal policies have been dragging us down for 10 years. Canada cannot have a strong economy if our SMEs are not investing here. Does the government realize that it is the main obstacle to investment in Canada?

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Nathalie Provost

Liberal
“Canada's economy is doing well despite trade problems with the United States. Canadian and Quebec businesses are now selling more goods to Europe and continuing to grow.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the research chair in taxation and public finance said today that Canada is still resilient in spite of everything. It is true that Quebec has been deeply affected by the trade war with the United States, but we have managed to pivot. We have succeeded in redirecting exports that used to go to the United States towards European countries, and the same is true for Quebec. Our businesses have taken matters into their own hands; they have seized the opportunities we have given them and they are growing. That is good news.

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Jason Groleau

Conservative
“Businesses are not investing in Canada because of political uncertainty, high government debt, and poor leadership. Do the Liberals realize they are the problem?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, according to the CFIB, four in 10 businesses say that economic uncertainty, and especially political uncertainty, is discouraging investment in our country. In Beauce, we are fortunate to have extraordinary companies such as Beauce Atlas and Bois Hamel creating jobs, investing in our communities, and creating wealth in our regions. However, over the past 10 years under the Liberals, with all the colossal deficits, instability, and lack of leadership in particular, investment in Canada has stalled. Do the Liberals realize that they are part of the problem facing Canadian businesses?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“The Conservatives do not have an economic plan, but we do. Our budget gives businesses tax breaks to invest and produce more. We are also building infrastructure and selling more Canadian goods to other countries.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, speaking of a lack of leadership, Canadians have been looking for the Conservative Party’s economic plan for at least two years. No one has found it yet, because it does not exist. I would invite my colleague to look at the superdeduction in budget 2025, for example. Accelerated depreciation will encourage businesses to invest and increase their productivity. That is exactly what our government’s strategy is, but that is not all; it also includes diversifying our markets. Today, the numbers speak for themselves, as my colleague said. We have increased our exports to the European Union by 23% and to the United Kingdom by 62%, and we are investing in our infrastructure, at the ports of Quebec and Montreal, for instance, in order to boost productivity across the country.

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Raquel Dancho

Conservative

Linked statement

“Small businesses are struggling because of high taxes and government spending. More than half of them say they would not recommend starting a business in Canada now. I want the government to change these policies so businesses can succeed.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, despite big promises from the Prime Minister to bring generational economic change and move at speeds never before seen, our small businesses, the backbone of the Canadian economy, are struggling under this high-tax, big-deficit-spending Liberal government. Over half of small businesses in this country have said they would not recommend starting a business in Canada today. This is devastating news. After a decade of Liberals, Canada has become an unwelcome place to do business, and under the Prime Minister, it is not getting any better. When will the Liberals reverse their harmful policies so that businesses can get ahead?

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Rechie Valdez

Liberal
“Canada's economy is doing better than other major countries. We have made new trade partnerships to help small businesses deal with U.S. tariffs. We will keep supporting them.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is in a position of strength.”

    Said 7 times by 6 members since May 26.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, despite the fact that we are experiencing global headwinds in this country, Canada is functioning from a position of strength. Our economy continues to outperform many different G7 countries, from Germany to Japan and Italy. We have secured 20 new economic partnerships. We have already heard today, thanks to the Prime Minister, that we have 13 new economic partnerships. This is going to strengthen small businesses and supply chains and support SMEs to get the opportunities they need to make sure to pivot away from the U.S. tariffs. We are going to continue to be there for small businesses and provide support when they need it.

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Raquel Dancho

Conservative
“Our economy is doing poorly because of the government's choices. Business investment is down, fewer people are starting businesses, and we are in a recession. The government needs to admit its policies are hurting Canadians.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, “from a position of strength”, she said. According to Statistics Canada, business capital investment has declined for five quarters in a row. Entrepreneurship is at a 25-year low and we are now in a recession. These are the devastating results under the Liberal Prime Minister. This is his record, and Canadians are the ones having to suffer the consequences. When are they going to realize that it is Liberal economic policies that are sending people to food banks, causing job losses and driving this country into a recession? That is on them.

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Karim Bardeesy

Liberal
“Our government is helping small businesses. We cut taxes on business investments, and we gave people money for groceries so they have more to spend.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we know that small businesses do well when consumer spending is up, and that is why we have made investments like the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. Wages are increasing faster than inflation, and we have cut taxes through measures like the superproductivity deduction to make it easier for businesses to invest. We are taking the right approaches during this time of tariffs, which we never hear about on the other side. We are making investments in small businesses and the people who spend money with small businesses.

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Dalwinder Gill

Conservative
“Small businesses are struggling because of high taxes and too many government rules. Thousands of restaurants might close this year. I want the government to change its economic policies and lower taxes.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, according to the CFIB, three in four small businesses do not feel supported by the Liberal government and more than half would not recommend starting a business in Canada, but the Liberals continue to punish small businesses with high taxes and red tape. There are 4,000 Canadian restaurants facing closure this year because of rising costs and taxes. Conservatives have a plan to cut taxes and red tape to keep our small businesses open. Will the Liberals reverse their economic policies so businesses can get ahead?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“I have run small businesses, but the Conservative leader has never worked outside of politics. When times are tough, our government takes action to rebuild the economy, while the Conservatives offer no real solutions.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 26 of 100

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Respect 62 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “not like the Conservative leader who has never worked a day outside of this House”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege of actually running small businesses in the economy, not like the Conservative leader who has never worked a day outside of this House. Sometimes a small business or a government is faced with challenges or headwinds, and they can do one of two things. They can throw their hands up and offer no solutions or they can lead, pivot, rebuild and reinvest. We are doing just that on this side of the House. They offer nothing but empty parking lot press conferences.

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  18. Private Members' Business Spectrum Policy Framework for Canada Act 8 statements
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