“Our government has brought in 500 billion dollars in investment, expanded ports, and started many major building projects. I want my Conservative colleague to admit our economy is growing and support this bill.”

“Mr. Speaker, my Conservative colleague makes it sound like nothing good ever happens. It is high time he recognized all the efforts that have been made and all the results achieved over the past year and a half to strengthen the Canadian economy. He wants concrete examples. The Toronto summit attracted a total of $500 billion in investment in Canada that will go towards projects in our communities, that will support our workers and that will boost our economy. These are concrete examples. The 24 projects that the office is currently considering, all the projects already under construction, the port expansions and the various projects where work has already begun are all concrete examples linked to our government’s leadership since we were elected last year. I would like to know whether my colleague will finally recognize the work we are doing to strengthen the Canadian economy and support us on Bill C-39.”

“I support this bill. It cuts red tape for our transportation and trade sectors so we can build major projects faster. It sets a one-year limit for project reviews and stops businesses from having to file the same paperwork with multiple government offices, while still protecting the environment and Indigenous rights.”

“Mr. Speaker, Bill C-39, the building Canada strong act, would put forward important legislative changes that build on our government’s efforts to protect Canada’s economic future by reducing the regulatory burden faced by the Canadian transportation sector. Last year, the House passed the Building Canada Act, which focused on accelerating the development of projects of national interest and removing barriers to international trade and labour mobility. Today, I am pleased to say that we have worked diligently in the past months on new projects and streamlining processes. For much of our history, Canadians were able to count on favourable trade connections and conditions, including a stable relationship with the United States. That has shifted. The decades-long economic integration is over. Tariffs are being treated as leverage and supply chains as vulnerabilities. In a rapidly changing world, Canada’s new government is focused on what it can control. We are building strength at home and diversifying our partnerships abroad. We are on track. Transportation is the vital link. We cannot diversify trade, build the strongest economy in the G7 and strengthen Canada’s competitiveness without a transportation system that works. Canada’s trade corridors connect Canadian business to markets and supply chains both at home and around the world. We heard directly from Canadians about what is needed to build stronger, more efficient and more resilient supply chains. As such, we are taking action to reduce red tape, strengthen supply chains, accelerate infrastructure development and attract investment to grow Canada’s economy and create new jobs. For too long, red tape and underinvestment hindered innovation and productivity in Canadian companies. We often heard that we are not modern, that we are too bureaucratic, that we have not invested enough in our infrastructure and that other countries were finding us to be unreliable. These issues have to be addressed. That is why we are providing regulatory certainty to modernize the rules that govern how we build and invest to compete, while protecting the health and security of Canadians and the environment and respecting indigenous rights. To support our commitment to lower costs and build a stronger economy, this government launched a red tape review in July 2025. Federal departments and agencies identified approximately 500 actions to reduce regulatory red tape. This bill would begin the implementation of some of these forward-looking actions, showing how the government will deliver on its commitment to address barriers that limit trade and restrict competition. Canada is and needs to be seen as a reliable and beneficial place to invest and do business. Inefficiencies in our trade processes and supply chains are costly and hurt our reputation as a reliable trading partner. To maximize the full value of our budget 2025 investments, we must address long-standing constraints in the system that limit investment and productivity. This will support a more modern, responsive transportation system that can handle economic pressures, improve performance and unlock new capacity across our supply chains. A critical piece of the bill addresses coordinated reviews and securing timely approvals. Delays deter investment in our nation-building projects. The bill includes measures to reduce red tape and regulatory burden through a new transportation project office. This would complement efforts being led by the Major Projects Office and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. We need to expedite permits. Our government’s commitment of one project, one review, within one year of receiving all necessary information from a proponent, is key. These changes would enable industry to advance large-scale projects more efficiently and with greater certainty, and would help attract investment. The transportation project office would work to reduce bottlenecks, improve coordination and offer a one-window approach for proponents. All the while, this improved approach would maintain existing safeguards to ensure the integrity of those project reviews. The objective is to unlock greater efficiency, not more risk. Equally important is our government’s commitment to having indigenous partnerships that shape how projects are developed and carried out. We also remain committed to upholding those indigenous rights, including rights stemming from section 35 of the Constitution, to work with indigenous peoples during the implementation phase. The bill would also give Canada tools to rapidly align with international standards and strengthen how we collect, use and protect our industry data to better protect critical Canadian assets. Following the “tell us once” principle, government efforts on trade digitization would make it simple for Canadian business to submit the information. I want to specifically highlight this last point. Today, industries fulfilling regulatory requirements are routinely required to submit the same or similar data to multiple departments in various formats and on different timelines. This imposes real costs and administrative burdens on businesses. Canadian businesses expect clear communication, faster turnaround times and the ability to track the status of their requests. By reducing duplication and streamlining reporting, our trade digitization initiative, once implemented, would lower costs, save time and let businesses focus on what they want: growth and innovation. For example, in the marine sector, vessels arriving at Canadian ports must file 12 distinct forms with five different federal departments and agencies, often in duplicate. Approximately 90% of Canada’s trade with non-U.S. countries is carried by marine vessels. Making it easier to file the data once and have it shared securely across departments would meaningfully cut red tape as we diversify trade. The bill would also align with trusted international standards, giving industry the certainty it needs to plan and invest with confidence, especially as Canada seeks to grow its trade. When rules and regulations move at the same pace as international partners, Canadian innovation and productivity are unleashed, and Canadian companies can compete on a level playing field with their international competitors. I am looking forward to the discussion and the debate on this consequential bill.”

• Reasons given
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  Reasoning 100 of 100

  This statement drew 3 conclusions and gave a reason for each one.

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• Echo ×4

  A repeated line

  “The government is focused on what it can control.”

  Said 4 times by 4 members since May 26.

  Every time it was said →

“This bill has a lot of good in it. Given the member's deep experience in government, which part of this bill does he think will help the economy the most?”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to exhibit the member as a great representative of our party, because here he is, the former Ontario minister of finance, sitting on our backbench. I know that, over the years, he has been involved in a lot of different government programs and a lot of different projects. He has probably seen the best and worst of governments. What does the member like best from an economic perspective in Bill C-39? I know there is a lot of good out there. What does he think would have the greatest impact from an economic perspective?”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It will help grow our trade, protect our independence, and make Canada's economy stronger.”

“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question, and I also appreciate what most Canadians are appreciating, which is the fact that we are looking for results, we are looking at outcomes, we are working closely together with other nations, we are diversifying our trade, we are broadening our reach and we are protecting our sovereignty by becoming more resilient. These economic efforts are for the benefit of our future in Canada. I am very encouraged that all of us recognize how important the bill is to achieving those results.”

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  Relevance 46 of 100

  None of this reply addressed the specific point raised or the topic under debate.

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• Vague
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  Reply to a debate question

  Clarity 44 of 100

  Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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“This bill says its purpose is to help major projects get approved faster to strengthen our economy and security. It also says it will protect the environment and respect Indigenous rights.”

“Mr. Speaker, I have the bill before me, and I am going to read something within it verbatim: The purpose of this Act is to enhance Canada’s prosperity, national security, economic security, national defence and national autonomy by ensuring that projects that are in the national interest and projects of an eligible type within a region of national interest are advanced through an accelerated process that enhances regulatory certainty and investor confidence, while protecting the environment and respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples. That is item 4 on page 71.”

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“Our government has worked to strengthen Canada's economy by signing deals with over 20 countries and bringing in billions in investments. How does this bill fit into our plan to build a stronger economy?”

“Mr. Speaker, over the past 18 months, we have been focused on strengthening the Canadian economy. Our Prime Minister and our government have shown leadership in this regard. We have signed treaties with over 20 countries. We have supported major projects of national interest and attracted hundreds of billions of dollars in investment to Canada. I would like to hear from my colleague about how he sees Bill C-39 fitting within our government’s broader approach to build Canada strong.”

“Other countries want to invest in Canada. We have over 20 trade deals and lead the world in foreign investment. This is because we follow the law, make fair deals, and can be trusted.”

“Mr. Speaker, my colleague brings up a very important fact. Canada is sought-after around the world. We have negotiated over 20 trade agreements, and we are the top foreign direct investment jurisdiction in the world because of those initiatives and because Canada is seen as a trusted partner. Other countries want to deal with those that abide by the rule of law and that ensure social justice as well as security in trade agreements. I am very excited about where we are heading.”

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  Relevance 47 of 100

  None of this reply addressed the specific point raised or the topic under debate.

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“We need this bill to approve projects faster. Too much red tape is slowing them down. The system will still protect us, but we need to move faster.”

“Mr. Speaker, I agree that we need to enact certain legislation to speed up the process. We have had too much interference by the bureaucracy to enable some of these projects to take place. The system will always abide by and have safeguards, and so it must, but we need to expedite that more quickly—”

“Like the member, I am from the north. Our government funded highways 11 and 17 in northwestern Ontario, and I want to know his thoughts on those roads.”

“Mr. Speaker, in particular, I am interested in my colleague’s views on highways 11 and 17. I am a northerner, like he is. I would simply like to point out first, to maybe help him remember, that our minister from Thunder Bay announced funding for highways in the north, in northwestern Ontario. Certainly that history is there. More specifically tonight, I am interested in your views, because I believe there is—”

“I want to know what the member thinks about the national trade corridors council.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would be interested in the member’s views on the national trade corridors council.”

“Our economy is growing. In the last 18 months, we attracted 500 billion dollars in investment and signed over 20 trade deals. I want the Conservatives to admit that our bill will make our economy even stronger.”

“Mr. Speaker, to hear my colleagues, it almost seems that nothing good is happening. Over the past 18 months, however, we have made significant progress toward building a stronger and more prosperous economy. It shows in the investment summit, which attracted over $500 billion to be injected into our economy; it shows in the 24 projects being studied by the Major Projects Office; and it shows in the more than 20 trade agreements that we have signed around the world. While we make progress on this side of the House, the Conservatives keep raining on everyone’s parade. I would like to ask my colleague why he cannot acknowledge the potential of Bill C-39 to build a stronger economy, to build a stronger Canada.”