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The Economy

Oral questions on the economy centred on Conservative members asking the government to acknowledge that Canada is in a recession, saying it is the only G20 country in one, pointing to negative growth, declining productivity, government borrowing, and the cost of groceries, and criticizing spending on the Prime Minister’s travel. Liberal members replied by pointing to measures to help with living costs, including a groceries and essentials benefit reaching 12 million Canadians, and to investments in infrastructure, universities, transit, shipbuilding, aerospace contracts, mining, and a high-speed rail project, saying the Conservatives ignore these projects and vote against them. Several exchanges focused on Quebec projects specifically.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

10 statements

Luc Berthold

Conservative

Linked statement

“Canada is in a recession while the Prime Minister spends thousands of tax dollars on luxury food. I want him to tell us what kind of recession he created.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, under this Liberal Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in the midst of a recession. While families are counting every penny at the grocery store, the Liberal Prime Minister is travelling in the lap of luxury on the taxpayer’s dime. We are talking about $4,213 for crème brûlée, $3,800 for chocolate mousse and $593 for Normandy buttercups. While Canadians are stretching their budgets, the Liberal Prime Minister is splurging on luxuries. I am going to ask him a very simple question. Is the recession that he himself created a technical recession or a full-blown Liberal recession?

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Caroline Desrochers

Liberal
“Tomorrow, 12 million Canadians will get a government payment to help buy groceries and essentials. Conservatives criticize this program because they do not care about the cost of living.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 25 of 100

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

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 32 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
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what my colleague failed to mention is that, tomorrow, 12 million Canadians, including thousands of people in his riding, will receive the first Canada groceries and essentials benefit payment. This is the kind of concrete action our government is taking to help make life affordable. This is the kind of program the Conservatives disparage here, day in and day out. They should not be lecturing us. Who are they to lecture us? They are not concerned about the cost of living at all.

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Luc Berthold

Conservative
“The Prime Minister has put Canada into a recession, and we are the only G20 country in one. Families are struggling to afford groceries while the government gives bonuses to its friends. I want to know if the Prime Minister admits this is a Liberal recession.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Signal 36 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
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, my colleague said that we are not concerned about the cost of living. At least we are able to recognize the reality facing Canada, the reality facing Canadian families, the reality facing mothers who are struggling to pay their grocery bills at the end of the month. Meanwhile, the Liberals cannot even spell the word “recession”. They cannot even bring themselves to utter the word, yet Canada is the only G20 country that is currently in a recession. It does not seem to be hurting them, but it is hurting Canadian families and everyone. For the Liberals’ cronies, it means bonuses. It means $11 million for the Royal Canadian Mint. The Prime Minister plunged this country into a recession. Is it a Liberal recession or a technical recession?

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Caroline Desrochers

Liberal
“We are spending billions of dollars in Quebec. This money is for colleges, community centres, hospitals, and public transit.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 11 of 100

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

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while the people on that side try to manufacture a crisis, we are making the necessary investments to strengthen our communities. More than $2.5 billion was announced this week for post-secondary campuses, community centres and infrastructure across Quebec. More than $1 billion over three years is being allocated with the Government of Quebec to modernize and expand our hospitals and emergency rooms, including those in rural communities. More than $6 billion is going toward public transit across the province. These are the concrete results we are delivering for Quebeckers and Canadians.

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Joël Godin

Conservative
“Canada is the only G20 country in a recession. The government will not admit it. I want the Prime Minister to be honest and tell Canadians that we are in a recession.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, a recession is a concept created by economists. They are the ones who set the criteria. Canada is the only G7 country or, pardon me, the only G20 country that is in a recession. I am not making this up; it is a fact. Instead of finding solutions, the Liberals are casting around for a diversion. When the government cannot acknowledge that there is a problem, it cannot find solutions. Will the Prime Minister be honest and tell Canadians that Canada is in a recession?

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Claude Guay

Liberal
“We are investing in major projects to build a stronger Canadian economy with provinces, territories, and Indigenous peoples. The Conservatives criticize Canada and vote against all our plans to help the economy grow.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 28 of 100

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

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  • A repeated line

    “Together, we will build Canada strong.”

    Said 7 times by 5 members since April 23.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want us to build a stronger, more independent and more resilient economy in partnership with the provinces, territories and indigenous peoples. The Conservatives are ignoring everything going on around the world and in geopolitics. They are disparaging Canada. We will continue to build Canada strong. Projects like Nouveau Monde Graphite, the port of Contrecoeur, the Alto train and many others are proof of that. However, the Conservatives have voted against every measure aiming to build Canada strong.

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Joël Godin

Conservative
“Canada is in a recession. The Prime Minister's economic plan is not working. I want him to admit that we are in a recession.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Respect 76 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “The so-called saviour of the Canadian economy, our Prime Minister”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is all well and good to create a diversion. The Liberals are experts at that. We are in a recession. Only the Liberals fail to see that. They make excuses. The President of the United States is being blamed for a lot of things. The so-called saviour of the Canadian economy, our Prime Minister, should be coming up with solutions, because his plan is not working. Will this Prime Minister accept the situation and admit that our country is in a recession?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“Our government is getting real results. We have made major investments in airplanes, trains, mining, and billions of dollars for Quebec City.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 100 of 100

    Of this answer, 100% addressed the question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, 150 airplanes at Airbus is not a diversion. A contract with Bombardier for GlobalEye is not diversion. Nouveau Monde Graphite, the largest graphite mine in the G7, is not a diversion. The high-speed train between Quebec City and Toronto is not a diversion. The $2.75 billion invested in the Quebec City tramway will have an impact. The $10 billion we just announced for the greater Quebec City area is certainly not a diversion. That is action. These are results. It is very real.

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Dominique Vien

Conservative
“Canada's economy is shrinking, and the government is borrowing 72 billion dollars this year. I want the Prime Minister to admit that our country is in a recession.”

  • A repeated line

    “Canada is the only G20 country in a recession.”

    Said 104 times by 61 members since May 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, under this Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession. This comes as no surprise. We have experienced three out of four quarters of negative growth. We are seeing a record decline in productivity. The public finance watchdog confirms that there is a 99% probability that the government will fall short of its fiscal anchor. Despite repeated warnings from the banks, this government continues to run up the debt. It will borrow $72 billion this year. Will the Prime Minister finally stop denying the obvious and admit to Canadians that our economy is indeed in a recession?

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Steven MacKinnon

Liberal
“Our government is helping Quebec's economy grow. We are supporting the Davie shipyard, the Port of Québec, and a high-speed train project. These projects create jobs for people in Quebec.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 100 of 100

    Of this answer, 100% addressed the question that was asked.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I will pick up where my colleague from Quebec City left off, because he was too modest. He did not mention the Davie shipyard or its inclusion in the national shipbuilding strategy. He did not mention the Port of Québec as the first port of arrival. He did not mention developments such as the high-speed rail project in the national capital. Quebec and the City of Quebec are benefiting enormously from this growth. They are benefiting enormously from our strategy to build a very strong Canada, to create opportunities and to create jobs for the people of Quebec.

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