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The Economy

Question period focused on the economy and affordability. Conservatives cited a National Payroll Institute survey saying most working Canadians spend their entire paycheque, with many living paycheque to paycheque, and pressed the government to adopt the Conservative economic plan, including spending cuts they say would save families nearly $10,000 and removing federal gas taxes until Canada Day. Liberals responded by pointing to their cost-of-living measures, such as tax cuts for 22 million Canadians, the gas tax pause, the groceries and essentials benefit, child care and dental care, saying Conservatives voted against these programs, and highlighted record investment levels, a $500-billion investment summit commitment, trade diversification including a new deal with the UAE, and the building Canada strong bill to speed up major projects.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

22 statements

Juanita Nathan

Liberal
“People in my riding want us to protect our economy. Can the transport minister explain how our new bill does that?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the global landscape is changing quickly. I am constantly reminded by my constituents in Pickering—Brooklin to act quickly to secure our country’s economic sovereignty. That is why, on the first day of this fall sitting, our government introduced the building Canada strong bill. Can the Minister of Transport please explain how this legislation will help us respond to the challenges we are facing today and deliver our government’s mandate to build Canada strong?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“We introduced this bill to help us build big projects faster. It will create long-term jobs for young people while we continue to consult Canadians.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for her work and for her incredible advocacy for continuing to build our country. We are indeed building at the speed the moment requires and at the pace Canadians expect. This means being ambitious. It means moving quickly and getting big projects built while continuing to talk to Canadians and to stakeholders. That is why we brought forward the building Canada strong bill on our first day back. It would give us the tools to build bigger, for Canada to have ambition, for our young people to look forward to employment for the decades to come and for our country to be—

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Jason Groleau

Conservative
“Half of working Canadians spend everything they make, and families are going into debt for food. We found 150 billion dollars in waste. I want the government to use our plan to cut spending and save families money.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of Liberal rule, even full-time workers are having a hard time making ends meet at the end of the month. According to the National Payroll Institute, half of all employed Canadians now report spending all, or sometimes more, of their net pay. That means that families are being forced to go into debt just to put food on the table. The Conservatives have identified over $150 billion in unnecessary Liberal spending. That works out to $10,000 per family. Will the Liberals adopt our Conservative plan to save families money?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“Our government is helping Canadians with the cost of living. We cut taxes for 22 million people, paused the federal gas tax, and gave money for groceries to 12 million people. The member across the way should tell his voters about this.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am going to help my colleague with his next letter to his constituents. First off, he should remind them that we have cut taxes for 22 million Canadians. I hope he will mention that to his constituents. Second, I hope he will remind them that we have extended the federal gas tax holiday, which will help people across the country. I hope he will also talk about the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which will help 12 million Canadians. These are concrete, immediate and targeted measures that will help Canadians.

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Jason Groleau

Conservative
“People in my riding work full-time but still cannot afford to feed their children. Thousands rely on food banks each month. The government needs to use the Conservative plan to help them.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, they are completely disconnected from reality. I am sorry, but the minister’s answer is not going to put food on Chantal’s table. Chantal is a single mother in Saint‑Georges. She works full-time but still needs to use food banks. After she pays her rent and bills, there is not enough money left over to feed her children. Chantal is not alone. This morning, I spoke with people at Moisson Beauce and they told me that over 6,300 residents of Beauce use food banks every month. How many more families have to reach that point before the Liberals put our Conservative plan into action?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal

Linked statement

“Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. But the member keeps voting against the programs that help them. He voted against money for parents, free school food, dental care, and help with groceries.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. Many Canadians are struggling to make ends meet; that is true. What really baffles me is why he voted against the Canada child benefit. How is he going to explain that to Chantal, who lives in his riding? For a single mother with two children, that could add up to $8,000 or $10,000. Why did he vote against Canada’s national school food program, which is helping 100,000 vulnerable children in Quebec City and saving their families about $800. Why, at every turn, does he consistently vote against every affordability measure, whether the Canadian dental care plan or the Canada groceries and essentials benefit?

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Rosemarie Falk

Conservative
“A new report says half of working Canadians have no money left to save. Liberal taxes and spending are driving up living costs. The Conservative plan would save each family nearly $10,000. Will the government adopt our plan?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, a survey released yesterday by the National Payroll Institute found that half of employed Canadians are now spending all or more of their take-home pay, leaving nothing for savings. Liberal taxes and wasteful government spending are only making things more expensive for Canadians. Our Conservative plan will save Canadians money. We have identified nearly $10,000 in savings for every Canadian family. Will the Liberals adopt our Conservative economic action plan so Canadians can keep more of their money and afford to live again?

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Buckley Belanger

Liberal
“Our government is helping people in Saskatchewan with child care and grocery costs. The Conservatives keep voting against this help, even though they say they want to help the province.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there is a new government in Ottawa and a new approach: Show up, listen and deliver. I can say on behalf of the Government of Canada that through the child care benefit and the groceries and essentials benefit, we are listening to what the people of Saskatchewan are saying. We are helping them in their time of crisis, but every time we try to do something, the confusing Conservatives turn around and vote against that. Which is it? Do they want us to help Saskatchewan people? On this side, I say we do not need advice on how we support Saskatchewan families. We have a lot of support—

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Rosemarie Falk

Conservative
“Many Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque and cannot afford daily life. The Conservative plan would save each family nearly $10,000. I want the government to adopt our plan.”

  • A repeated line

    “Will the Liberals adopt our plan?”

    Said 5 times by 4 members since September 22.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let us listen to how out of touch the Liberals are. More than one in four Canadians say they “would struggle to meet their financial obligations if their [paycheque] was delayed by just one week.” Canadians need a government focused on lowering their costs and helping them get ahead. As I said, our Conservative economic action plan identifies nearly $10,000 in savings for every Canadian family. I hear the Liberals scoffing, because they think that is not a lot of money. I am going to ask again, will the Liberals adopt our plan so Canadians can save money and afford to live again?

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Buckley Belanger

Liberal
“The Conservatives do not have a plan for the economy. They voted against benefits that help families in Saskatchewan. Even the premier of Saskatchewan said the federal government is doing a great job. Conservatives should talk to the people who live there.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I really, truly believe that the Conservatives do not have a plan. They tout this plan, but I do not think the plan exists. To make a long story short, as we look at all the benefits we are trying to support Saskatchewan families on, one thing is real: The folks across the way voted against it. In fact, the Premier of Saskatchewan, the hon. Scott Moe, has said Canada is doing a wonderful job. I am not sure whom they are talking to, but perhaps they can get back and talk to the Saskatchewan people to see what is really happening.

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Garnett Genuis

Conservative
“The Prime Minister is wrong to say life is affordable. A recent survey shows that over half of Canadians spend everything they make each month. The government should adopt the Conservative economic plan so Canadians can save money.”

  • A repeated line

    “Will the Liberals adopt our plan?”

    Said 5 times by 4 members since September 22.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has said that affordability is the best it has been in over a decade. He could not be more out of touch. The latest National Payroll Institute survey shows that more than a quarter of Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque and more than half of Canadians are spending all of or more than their net pay every single month. Liberals are just not delivering results for everyday Canadians. Will the Liberals adopt our Conservative economic action plan so Canadians can save money and afford to live again?

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Corey Hogan

Liberal
“Things are going very well for Alberta right now. Business investment and oil production are at record highs, and people in Alberta are happy with our government.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we hear the same again and again, but what we will not hear when we talk to actual Albertans is this kind of doom and gloom, because there has never been a better time to be an Albertan in Canada. We are seeing investments at record levels. We are seeing oil production at record levels, and we are seeing satisfaction with the federal government and our leader at record levels.

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Garnett Genuis

Conservative
“The Liberals are out of touch with Canadians. People who invest their money outside Canada cannot fix our economy.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are so out of touch. Let me tell members about a Canadian named Mark. Mark has made promises to his employer that he just cannot keep. He has had to compromise all of his beliefs in order to keep his job. Mark has so little faith in the Canadian economy that he has put almost all of his investments in the United States. Mark is focused on his European retirement plans, which now seem in jeopardy. How can Canadians like Mark actually deliver the changes they promised?

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Tim Hodgson

Liberal
“Alberta's premier said it has never been a better time to live in Alberta. She is hopeful about the future of her province and Canada.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, maybe that member and Mark might want to speak to another Albertan named Danielle Smith, who said that it has never been such a good time to be an Albertan and that she has never been so optimistic about the future of Alberta and a strong Canada.

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Branden Leslie

Conservative
“Most working Canadians have to spend their entire paycheque just to pay the bills. The Liberals say their economic plan is working, but people cannot afford to live. I want the government to adopt the Conservative economic plan instead.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, for millions of families, payday is no longer a chance to get ahead. It is simply the day to hopefully pay the bills. The National Payroll Institute says that more than half of working Canadians are spending every dollar they take home, leaving absolutely nothing to save, and only 18% say that their pay is keeping up with the cost of living. The Liberals seem to insist that their plan is working, but they are so clearly out of touch, and Canadians are out of money. Families are working harder and harder and falling further and further behind. When will the Liberals stop the pain and embrace our Conservative economic plan so that Canadians can afford to live again?

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Rebecca Chartrand

Liberal
“Our government helps Canadians with money for groceries, child care, dental care, and medicine. Conservatives vote against all of these programs, so their complaints are not real.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I do not get the fake outrage, because when we think about the voting on the Conservative side, we know they have voted against every measure to support Manitobans. For example, there was the groceries and essentials benefit. We are putting money back in the pockets of Canadians with the child tax benefits, dental care and pharmacare. We are helping Canadians where it matters most, and the member opposite continues to vote against every single measure.

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Eric Duncan

Conservative
“A new report shows more than one in four working Canadians live paycheque to paycheque. I want the government to remove all federal taxes on gas until Canada Day to save people money.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the latest survey from the National Payroll Institute demonstrates how the Liberals are out of touch and Canadians are out of money. More than one in four employed Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque and would struggle to cover their bills if their pay was delayed by just one week. This is at the highest level in five years. Things continue to go in the wrong direction, and the Liberals continue to double down on the same failed approaches. Our Conservative plan is to save Canadians money by taking all federal taxes on gas, about 25¢ a litre, off until Canada Day next year. Will they finally adopt our plan?

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Yasir Naqvi

Liberal
“Our government is growing trade around the world. Canadian businesses can sell to 1.5 billion people without tariffs, and we plan to double that number.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is good to be back in the House. I hope all members had a good summer. Our government is focused on making sure that we are not only building Canada from coast to coast to coast, but also building partnerships around the world. We are diversifying trade like we have never seen in the history of our country. Our businesses have access to 1.5 billion consumers through tariff-free partnerships at this moment, and we plan to double that. That is our plan. The Minister of International Trade, the Prime Minister and the entire government is focused on building those partnerships so we can help grow our businesses around the world.

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Eric Duncan

Conservative
“Canadians are struggling with the cost of living, groceries, and debt. The government needs to change course and use our economic plan to help people afford to live.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is all talk and no results, because the data from the survey gets worse. It further confirms just how bad the cost of living crisis is for Canadian workers. Only 18% believe their income increases are keeping pace with the rising cost of living, and groceries are now the largest source of financial stress, which was cited by 55%, while nearly half of employed Canadians say they are worried about personal debt. How many more surveys and reports that show the struggle of everyday Canadians do we need to see before the Liberals reverse course and adopt our Conservative economic action plan to put more money in Canadians’ pockets and help them afford to live?

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Yasir Naqvi

Liberal
“Our economic plan is working. We brought in a $500-billion investment commitment that will create good jobs across the country. We also signed a new trade deal with the United Arab Emirates in just 45 days.”

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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 completely disagree with the premise of the member’s question. I think we are seeing results. If we look at the first-ever Canada investment summit, in just one year, we a saw a $500-billion commitment, that is half a trillion dollars, to invest right here in our country. What does that mean? It means good-paying jobs for Canadians coast to coast to coast. Similarly, we are seeing the results of the trade agreements we have been signing. With United Arab Emirates alone, we were able to sign a trade agreement within 45 days. We have never seen those kinds of action before. This is how we are going to build Canada strong.

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More from sitting 142

All 32 items ·
  1. Oral Questions The Economy 12 statements
  2. Oral Questions Intergovernmental Affairs 6 statements
  3. Oral Questions Justice 15 statements
  4. Oral Questions Canadian Identity and Culture 4 statements
  5. Oral Questions Justice 11 statements
  6. Oral Questions The Economy 22 statements
  7. Oral Questions Air Transportation 6 statements
  8. Oral Questions Canadian Identity and Culture 2 statements
  9. Oral Questions Foreign Affairs 2 statements
  10. Oral Questions Climate Change 2 statements
  11. Government Orders Building Canada Strong Act 65 statements
  12. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  13. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  14. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  15. Private Members' Business Criminal Code 9 statements