Finance

During question period on finance, Conservative members asked repeatedly about public money spent on meals during the Prime Minister’s flights, citing figures of $195,000 on three flights and over $520,000 in total, and contrasting this with Canadians using food banks and going into debt for food; they asked why he expects Canadians to sacrifice. Liberal members responded by pointing to trade agreements and foreign investment they said are creating jobs, and to affordability measures such as eliminating the gas tax, funding school meals, and building housing, adding that Conservative positions would cost constituents the dental care plan and Canada child benefits, which the Conservatives voted against.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text (opens in a new tab)

6 statements

Jason Groleau, Beauce

Conservative
“The Prime Minister spent $195,000 of public money on fancy meals on just three flights. Meanwhile, many Canadians go into debt to buy food. Will he stop spending public money on expensive food?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister cost Canadians $195,000 in gourmet meals on three flights alone. Life is good for the Prime Minister. It makes no difference to him since he is not the one paying. Meanwhile, 34% of Canadian workers have to go into debt just to eat properly. Will the Prime Minister stop adding luxury meals, paid for by Canadians, to his inflationary deficits?

Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant

Liberal
“Our government is signing trade deals and bringing foreign investment to Canada. This work brings good jobs to Quebec and the rest of the country.”
  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 0 of 100

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

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, over the past year, we have seen something unprecedented: Canada has signed 20 trade and security agreements around the world and 56 critical mineral agreements. We are breaking records when it comes to foreign direct investment in Canada. A recent example of this is the order for 150 Airbus aircraft to be built in Quebec. This is the result of the work the Prime Minister and ministers are doing abroad. They are bringing good jobs and good investment back here to Canada. I think this is exactly what the people of Beauce and Quebec are expecting.

Jason Groleau, Beauce

Conservative

Linked statement

“The Prime Minister spent $195,000 of taxpayers' money on food for three flights. I want him to stop spending so much money on luxury meals when he travels.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I’m sure our Prime Minister has never heard of our local wine, Harfang des Neiges. Why does the Prime Minister need a luxury meal for his official trips? This is taxpayers’ money spent on $195,000 worth of food for just three flights. Imagine that, folks. Is a little chicken or a nice lasagna not good enough for the Prime Minister? When will the Liberal Prime Minister stop breaking the bank at the expense of the people of Beauce?

Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant

Liberal
“The member's plans would hurt his own voters. He would take away dental care for over 30,000 of them and cut over $80 million in child benefit money from local families. We will not take advice from him on lowering the cost of living.”
  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 0 of 100

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

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what is fascinating when I hear my colleague’s question is that he would break the bank for the people of Beauce by depriving over 30,000 of his constituents of the Canadian dental care plan. He would deprive thousands more families of over $80 million per year from the Canada child benefit, and the list goes on. When it comes to lowering the cost of living for Quebeckers and the people of Beauce, we will not take any lessons from this member.

Gabriel Hardy, Montmorency—Charlevoix

Conservative
“Millions of Canadians cannot afford enough food, but the Prime Minister spent over $520,000 on luxury airplane meals. I want to know why he expects Canadians to sacrifice while he does not.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while 2.2 million Canadians have been lining up at food banks in just one month, our Prime Minister has spent more than $520,000 on inflight meals provided by luxury caterers. This year, 22% of Canadians have lost weight because they cannot afford enough to eat. Meanwhile, 40,000 feet up in the air, our Prime Minister is being served beef tenderloin with bordelaise sauce, veal cutlets, Scottish salmon, crème brûlée, and fine wines. When the Liberals tell Canadians they have to make sacrifices, do the Prime Minister and his inner circle consider themselves Canadians, or do they think they are above that?

Caroline Desrochers, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure

Liberal
“We are cutting gas taxes, funding school meals, helping people buy groceries, and building more housing to make life cheaper. The Conservatives voted against all of this. They do not really care about helping people who need it.”
  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 26 of 100

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

    See full analysis
  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 41 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

    See full analysis
  • A repeated line

    “The Conservatives voted against all those measures.”

    Said 3 times by 2 members since May 25.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives think that if they repeat their message day after day, Canadians will eventually believe that they truly care about affordability. On this side of the House, we are working on real measures to tackle the affordability issue. We have eliminated the gas tax. We have introduced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit and the Canada national school food program. We are accelerating the construction of affordable housing. We are protecting jobs in the industries most affected by tariffs. We are promoting training programs. The Conservatives voted against all those measures. No one believes that the Conservatives are there to help the most vulnerable. Let us be serious. They should get to work.

Discussion

No comments yet

See the full discussion

Comment rules

More from sitting 124

  1. Government Orders Business of Supply 114 statements
  2. Oral Questions Foreign Investment 13 statements
  3. Oral Questions Justice 6 statements
  4. Oral Questions Canadian Identity and Culture 6 statements
  5. Oral Questions The Economy 4 statements
  6. Oral Questions The Environment 4 statements
  7. Oral Questions Finance 6 statements
  8. Oral Questions Agriculture and Agri-Food 4 statements
  9. Oral Questions Steel and Aluminum Industry 2 statements
  10. Oral Questions Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship 6 statements
  11. Oral Questions Aerospace Industry 8 statements
  12. Oral Questions International Trade 2 statements
  13. Oral Questions Seniors 4 statements
  14. Oral Questions Public Safety 6 statements
  15. Oral Questions Oil and Gas Industry 3 statements
  16. Oral Questions Labour 2 statements
  17. Oral Questions Climate Change 2 statements
  18. Oral Questions Air Transportation 2 statements
  19. Oral Questions Business of the House 2 statements
  20. Government Orders Business of Supply 66 statements
  21. Oral Questions Health 4 statements
  22. Private Members' Business Canada Revenue Agency Act 12 statements
  23. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  24. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  25. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements
  26. Government Orders Business of Supply 462 statements