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The Economy

During question period on the economy, Conservative members said affordability is worsening, citing figures that half of working Canadians spend their entire pay or take on debt, a lowered OECD growth forecast for Canada, and rising grocery costs in members’ own ridings. They argued government programs have not produced results, that major trade and energy projects are years away while a trade war is under way, and asked the government to adopt the Conservative economic plan, including permanently ending fuel taxes. Liberal ministers replied that the government is acting on affordability through an affordable housing plan, a grocery benefit helping millions of families, and the paused fuel tax, and they pointed to job numbers, projected G7 growth, and construction projects now underway. Liberals also noted Conservatives voted against programs such as the Canada child benefit, school food, and disability benefits.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

12 statements

Melissa Lantsman

Conservative

Linked statement

“Life is getting more expensive and Canada's economy is falling behind other rich countries. Half of working Canadians are spending their entire paycheck or taking on debt just to get by. I want the government to adopt the Conservative economic plan to fix this.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, despite the assurances, the endless commitments and the half measures from Liberal Ottawa, Canada’s affordability crisis is bad and is getting worse. The National Payroll Institute just revealed that half of employed Canadians now spend all or more of their net pay, with no savings and more debt. Meanwhile, the OECD is cutting Canada’s growth forecast while raising forecasts for almost all of our G7 partners because of the uncertainty and stalled productivity. Despite all the MOUs, the speeches and the photo ops, Canada’s economy is still stuck and affordability has been forgotten by them, so when will the Liberals adopt our Conservative plan to get our country growing, moving and working again?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“We know high costs are hard on Canadians. We are helping by building more homes, giving 12 million families money for groceries, and pausing the fuel tax.”

  • A repeated line

    “That is how we build Canada strong.”

    Said 20 times by 14 members since April 23.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we understand that affordability is top of mind for Canadians. That is why we acted on three fronts. First was with respect to affordable housing. I want to thank my colleague, the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, for a generational plan to provide more affordable housing and more safe housing for Canadians. The second thing is that we introduced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, helping 12 million families across the country. Lastly, we extended the suspension of the excise fuel tax, which is going to help Canadians across the country. This is how we build a strong Canada.

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Melissa Lantsman

Conservative
“The government's economic plans are not working. One in four working Canadians lives paycheque to paycheque. People who work full-time have no money left at the end of the month. The government needs to admit its policies have failed.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, if any of those plans worked, we would not hear story after story of struggling Canadians. The numbers are the numbers, and no amount of Liberal promises without results is going to change that. However, it is not just about the numbers. It is about real people, and that is why one in four employed Canadians is now living paycheque to paycheque in this country. That is why I hear from people like Alan in my community, who works full-time and helps his mom with gas and groceries. There is nothing left in his bank account at the end of the month. There are so many people like him across the country. When will the Liberals realize that there are real costs to their failed policies?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“Our programs help millions of Canadians with child care, food, and disability support. The Conservatives voted against every one of them.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let me talk about real people. The Canada child benefit, which the Conservatives voted against, is helping six million Canadians. The national school food program, which is helping 400,000 kids in this country, they voted against. Let me talk about the Canada disability benefit. It is helping 465,000 Canadians; they voted against. Let me talk about the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. It is helping 12 million Canadians; they voted against. Let me talk about early learning and child care. It is helping 900,000 kids in this country; they voted against. At every step of the way, when they had the choice to help Canadians, they voted against.

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Sandra Cobena

Conservative
“Canada's economy is falling behind other rich countries, and people in my community cannot afford places to live. The government's plans are not working. I want the government to use the Conservative economic plan instead.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Liberals are all talk and no results.”

    Said 13 times by 12 members since September 21.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the world is moving forward, but Canada is getting stuck. The OECD has cut Canada’s growth forecast by 25%. Only Canada and France were downgraded, while the rest of the G7 went up, and Canadians feel that failure. A lady in my community lives in her car and goes to the gym only to take a shower. The Liberals are all talk and no results. The Liberal government announces with urgency but delivers at a crawl. When will the Liberals adopt our Conservative economic action plan so Canadians can afford to live again?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“Our economy is doing well. We created over 200,000 jobs in the last year, and our debt is low compared to other rich countries. The Conservatives should stop talking down our economy and support our plan.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 29 of 100

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

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  • A repeated line

    “We have the second-fastest growth in the G7.”

    Said 12 times by 5 members since April 24.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is shocking to be sitting in the House and hearing the Conservatives talking the economy down at a time when Canadians are united to fight for Canada and to build support in this country. Canada will have the second-fastest growth in the G7 in 2027. We have created more than 200,000 jobs in the last year. We have the lowest net debt to GDP in the G7 and one of the lowest deficits to GDP in the G7. We are building Canada strong. I hope the Conservatives get it, because Canadians are behind us, and we are going to build with them.

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Sandra Cobena

Conservative
“The Liberals are hurting our economy. We are in a trade war, but the government's trade projects are years or decades away. I want the government to stop making announcements and actually finish these projects.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Liberal government is all talk, no results.”

    Said 3 times by 3 members since September 23.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Liberals are driving the economy down. The Prime Minister himself said that we are in a trade war, but the projects we need to fight it are years, if not decades, away. The port of Churchill has no firm completion date. Gull Island hydro is 2037. Major LNG projects are into the 2030s. The Vancouver port expansion is years away. We cannot fight a trade war with business-as-usual timelines. The Liberal government is all talk and no results. When will it stop the announcements and start delivering?

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Tim Hodgson

Liberal
“We are creating tens of thousands of jobs right now across the country. Conservatives should stop posting clips on social media and help us get this work done.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let me invite the member opposite on a little tour. How about Mersey River, where we are building today: 200 jobs? How about the intertie between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick: 600 jobs? How about Darlington:18,000 jobs? How about Pickering: 30,000 jobs? Maybe instead of doing little clips on Twitter, the Conservatives should come and help us get some jobs done.

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Luc Berthold

Conservative
“Canadians are struggling to afford groceries and debt is rising. The Prime Minister broke his promise to build a strong economy. The government should adopt our plan to save people money.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, after a year and a half of the Prime Minister’s lofty liberal rhetoric, there is very little to show for it. He promised the strongest economy in the G7. The figures speak for themselves. According to the National Payroll Institute, half of workers are now spending all of their take-home pay or going into debt just to make ends meet. While MPs on the other side of the House are laughing, I would remind them that 28% of Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque. For more than half of them, the weekly grocery run is a leading source of financial stress. Liberal rhetoric does not help pay for groceries. When will they adopt our Conservative action plan to save Canadians money?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“We know high prices are a big problem for Canadians, and we are helping. We have a plan to build more affordable housing. We created a grocery benefit that helps 12 million people, including families in every riding. We also extended the federal gas tax break.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are very much aware that the cost of living and affordability are high-priority issues for Canadians across the country. That is why we have already taken action. First, the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure has launched a generational plan to create more affordable and safe housing across the country. Next, we announced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit to help 12 million Canadians. In every riding represented in this House, there are people receiving this benefit, which is designed to help families. Finally, we have extended the federal gas tax break. These are concrete measures—

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Luc Berthold

Conservative
“Government programs are not helping people afford food. Groceries cost too much. I want the government to end all fuel taxes permanently to save people money.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of programs and a lot of words for very little in the way of results. Jessy from Centre-du-Québec is desperate. Her weekly grocery budget has gone from $120 to $170. She says it is clear that our dear Prime Minister has never had to pinch his pennies to buy groceries. Jessy is stretching every dollar to make ends meet. We want to help Jessy save money by axing all fuel taxes, not just suspending them briefly until next year. When will the Liberal government adopt our Conservative plan and give families a bit of breathing room?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“The member complains about the cost of living, but he voted against help for families. He voted against child benefits, dental care, grocery rebates, tax cuts, and school food programs that help thousands of people in his own riding and province.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, could my colleague explain to Jessy why he voted against the Canada child benefit? In his own riding, that benefit helps 24,000 children, who receive $100 million every year, which is roughly $4,600 per child. He voted against that. Could he explain to Jessy why he voted against dental care for 39,000 people in his own riding? Could he explain why he voted against the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, against a tax cut for 22 million Canadians and against the national school food program, which helps 100,000 children in Quebec by providing roughly $800 per family? It boggles the mind.

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