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This was question period on the eve of a federal budget titled “Masters of Our Destiny.” Bloc Québécois members asked whether the government would repay money Quebec says it is owed for asylum seeker costs, raise health transfers by 6% annually, and spend Quebecers’ tax dollars on Quebec priorities such as housing and culture instead of pipelines, airport sales, or concessions to the United States. Liberals answered by pointing to hydroelectric projects like Churchill Falls, the Davie shipyard contract, infrastructure spending, and federal programs such as the Canada child benefit and dental care, and invited the Bloc to support them. Conservative Michael Chong repeatedly asked whether the budget would meet targets to lower the deficit and debt, citing economists’ warnings about fiscal complacency and rising interest payments; Liberal Wayne Long replied that budget 2026 would be tabled the next day and would build a strong, diversified economy while helping people with cost of living.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

11 statements

Christine Normandin

Bloc Québécois
“The Liberals are letting the United States take control of our economy and culture. They gave in to Donald Trump on culture, used our money to buy a pipeline for American oil owners, want to sell our airports to foreign buyers, and might let in more American dairy. I want to know why the Liberals are letting Americans run Quebec instead of Quebecers.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, today is November 4 and tomorrow, a budget named “Masters of Our Destiny” is going to be tabled. The real question, however, is who is going to end up master of whose house. The Liberals caved to Donald Trump by sacrificing our culture. They used our own money to buy a pipeline for American oil company owners. They want to sell our airports to foreign interests. We even found out this summer that they are toying with the idea of allowing more U.S. dairy products onto our shelves to make Donald Trump happy. Why does it seem like, under the Liberals, it is the Americans who are becoming masters in Quebec’s house, instead of Quebeckers?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“We need to double our hydroelectric power, including big projects like Churchill Falls. The head of Hydro-Québec says this project will help Quebec stay prosperous for generations. I want the Bloc Québécois to support it.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, would anyone like to know what being masters of our destiny means? It means doubling our hydroelectric generating capacity. It means major projects like the one at Churchill Falls. The CEO of Hydro‑Québec says that project will ensure prosperity for generations of Quebeckers. For once, will the Bloc Québécois show it is capable of supporting a project that is building Quebec?

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Christine Normandin

Bloc Québécois
“The government should spend our tax money on Quebec's needs. Instead of spending 40 billion dollars on oil pipelines, it should fund housing, help the homeless, and lower the cost of living. It must stop funding fossil fuels and make big American tech companies pay into our culture. Will the government focus on what people in Quebec actually need?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers would feel a little more like masters in their own home if their money were used to meet their needs. That means Ottawa would need to reverse all its environmental rollbacks and fossil fuel subsidies and invest here instead. It would need to reverse its cultural concessions and make American tech giants contribute to our creative industries. It would need to invest in housing, in combatting homelessness, and in lowering the cost of living, instead of investing $40 billion in dirty oil pipelines. Will the government meet Quebeckers’ real needs?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“Our programs help people in Quebec with money for children, school food, groceries, and dental care. The Bloc Québécois should support these programs because they truly help our community.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, if my colleague wants to talk about addressing Quebeckers’ real priorities, we can talk about the Canada child benefit, which has reduced child poverty by nearly 40% in Quebec. We can talk about Canada’s national school food program, which helps 100,000 young people in Quebec. We can talk about the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. We can talk about the Canadian dental care plan, which helps millions of Quebeckers. It would be nice if, for once, the Bloc Québécois would rally behind initiatives that truly help our community.

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Jean-Denis Garon

Bloc Québécois
“Tomorrow is budget day. Quebec wants the federal government to repay what it owes for taking in asylum seekers. Quebec also wants health transfers to grow by 6% each year for at least five years, instead of being cut. Will the government agree to these two demands?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is budget day, and Quebec’s finance minister, Nicolas Marceau, has outlined his expectations. He is calling on the federal government to finally pay back the debt it has owed Quebec since 2024 for costs related to taking in asylum seekers. Quebec is also calling for an increase in health transfers, as the Liberals are about to cut the growth rate from 5% to 3% beginning in 2028. That rate needs to be locked in at 6% annually for a minimum of five years. Will the government listen to these two reasonable demands from Quebec?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“All 44 Liberal members from Quebec will always work with Quebec. In the last 11 months, we gave $11 billion to the Davie shipyard and created 5,000 jobs.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that all 44 members from Quebec on this side of the House will always want to work with Quebec. Take, for example, what we have done in the past 11 months: $11 billion for the Davie shipyard, 5,000 jobs, the biggest contract— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“Our government has done great work for Quebec. We gave contracts to the Davie shipyard and are investing $10 billion in infrastructure, including $1 billion for health care. We will keep working with Quebec to build a strong country.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their enthusiasm. It is true that what we have done for Quebec is impressive. I spoke about the Davie shipyard, but I could have also mentioned the $10 billion we are investing in infrastructure, including $1 billion for health care infrastructure at Quebec’s request. We will continue to work with Quebec to build Canada strong.

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Michael Chong

Conservative
“I have asked four times about the government's spending targets and got no answer. An economist warned today that governments are avoiding tough choices to prepare for the future. For the fifth time, will the government meet targets to lower the deficit and debt in tomorrow's budget?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, four times I have asked a question about the government’s fiscal targets and four times there has been no answer. Here is why the question is important. Here is what economist Christopher Ragan said in today’s Globe: ...our governments are suffering from “fiscal complacency.”... They are doing what is easy and painless in the short run, but avoiding the tougher decisions that would better prepare them for an uncertain and risk-filled future. For the fifth time, will the Prime Minister and the government meet fiscal targets to reduce the deficit and debt in tomorrow’s budget?

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Wayne Long

Liberal

Linked statement

“We will present our budget tomorrow. We are building a strong economy by bringing in business investment, removing barriers, and spending on housing and infrastructure. We will also help Canadians who are struggling to pay for everyday life, which the Conservatives would never do.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have good news for the member and all members across the House. Tomorrow, we will table budget 2026. On this side of the House, we are serious about building a strong economy and the most resilient and diversified economy in the G7. We are going to continue to attract outside investment. We are going to bring down barriers. We are going to invest coast to coast in infrastructure, major projects and housing. Also, as something that party would never do, we are going to make sure we address affordability for Canadians who are struggling.

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Michael Chong

Conservative
“The Prime Minister says Canada must prepare for future crises, including war. But the government's rising debt and interest payments leave us unable to handle them. I want to know if the government will hit its fiscal targets in tomorrow's budget.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister’s new national security framework states that Canada needs to “Prepare for all contingencies up to and including war and other worst-case scenarios.” It puts economic security at the heart of that plan. Canada had the fiscal capacity to deal with the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic, but the government’s rising debt and interest are reducing the capacity of the federal government to deal with the future crisis that the Prime Minister says is coming in his upcoming framework. For the sixth time, will the government hit its fiscal targets in tomorrow’s budget?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“We will keep building a strong economy by investing in Canada and helping people who need it. The Conservatives voted against all of our measures to make life more affordable. We will present our new budget tomorrow.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are going to continue the work of building a strong economy, the most resilient economy in the G7, for all Canadians. We are going to invest in our country. We are going to continue to bring down impediments to investment. We are going to develop and double our non-U.S. investments. We believe that we can build the strongest economy in the G7 while looking after those who need support. That party has voted against every affordability measure we have ever brought forward. We stand with Canadians. Tomorrow, we will be proud to table budget 2026, another step to becoming—

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