Debates of Sept. 19th, 2025

Local Business in London Centre

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Colour by Schubert, an extraordinary London business in place since 1982, carrying out custom image framing, restoring trusted images and doing incredible high-quality prints for decades.

The photography world has changed, as we know, but what has never been unwavering is its commitment to its customers and to our community. This is an extraordinary business, and as Roland, Myra and David move towards retirement from the business, I want to thank them for serving our community.

I speak from some experience. Our family has had work done by Colour by Schubert. It has always been the best. I cannot say more about an outstanding business like this. The owners have supported organizations as well throughout the community over these years. They are tremendous people and a testament to the power of entrepreneurship in our community.

We wish Roland, Myra and David nothing but the best.

Housing

[Chak Au, Conservative, Richmond Centre—Marpole, BC]

Mr. Speaker, promises do not build homes, builders do. The Prime Minister promised Canadians 500,000 new homes per year; instead, he is delivering a new housing bureaucracy that will build just 4,000. It is another Liberal bait and switch.

Housing starts are collapsing, down 49% in the GTA, 65% in Toronto. Even Vancouver is falling. Families are now spending 55% of their income just to keep a roof overhead, the worst in the G7. Homelessness is doubling, and 70% of Canadians say owning a home is impossible.

The Prime Minister says that he is working with local governments to solve this crisis, but municipalities call that nothing more than passing the buck.

Canadians know the truth. The Prime Minister builds bureaucracy, not homes. Canadians cannot live in promises. They need homes.

Michel Bolduc

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Michel Bolduc in the House today because he has been an important pillar of Mont‑Laurier's social fabric for over 30 years. As a social worker with certification in the areas of mental health and addictions, Michel Bolduc has been an authority on homelessness in Quebec.

I had the privilege of working with him for many years, and I have seen how he never gives up. When he meets someone who is experiencing homelessness, he does not look on them with contempt and pass them by. He treats them with kindness and compassion. For 30 years, Maison Lyse-Beauchamp has been helping with six buildings, 38,000 meals served, 16,000 overnight stays and no fewer than 66 employees.

Congratulations to Michel for everything he has done for these people.

Rail Safety Week

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Sydney—Glace Bay, NS]

Mr. Speaker, railways make the transportation of essential goods possible and are crucial to our nation's supply chain. However, every year, hundreds of incidents happen at railway crossings and along tracks, many of which are preventable.

This week, we celebrate and observe Rail Safety Week, and I want to highlight the important work of Operation Lifesaver. This is a national program dedicated to promoting rail safety and preventing accidents.

This is a moment to remind everyone to remain careful near the tracks. Let us commit to making our communities safer by supporting Operation Lifesaver's message and practising rail safety each and every day.

The Economy

[Scott Anderson, Conservative, Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee and across Canada, families are being crushed by the cost of living crisis. After 10 long years of the same old Liberal government, everything costs more: groceries, rent, mortgages, gas and everyday essentials that Canadians rely on. The Prime Minister asked to be judged on the cost of food at the grocery store, and the verdict is not good.

I hear from parents forced to choose between paying bills and feeding their kids, and from seniors cutting back on medication just to make ends meet. The high cost of living is not just about dollars and cents; it is about people's lives. It fuels anxiety, despair and a growing mental health crisis. These heartbreaking choices are not normal, and they should never be acceptable in Canada. Hard-working Canadians deserve better.

While local food banks do heroic work, they are filling gaps left by Liberal failure, and they are no substitution for leadership. Conservatives would cut taxes, bring down inflation and make life affordable again.

Firefighters' National Memorial Day

[Maggie Chi, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Firefighters' National Memorial Day, which falls yearly on the second Sunday of September. Across Canada, more than 1,000 firefighters have died in the line of duty, including 353 Toronto firefighters. They will not be forgotten.

This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting fire stations and meeting firefighters across my riding of Don Valley North, a community fortunate enough to have four fire stations. I want to take this occasion to acknowledge their professionalism and commitment to keeping us safe. Every day, they stand ready to run into danger to save lives and livelihoods.

We owe firefighters and their families an enduring debt of gratitude, and I thank them for their service, their sacrifice and their unwavering dedication to safeguarding Canadians across the country.

The Economy

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a ship without power or anchor will inevitably hit the rocks. Since the Liberals took over, Canada's GDP growth is the worst in the G7, clearly without power. The independent Parliamentary Budget Officer stated, “I don't know if the government currently has fiscal anchors”. Without power or anchor, the Prime Minister has Canada's fiscal future headed for the rocks.

The PBO also stated that “the labour market sucks” and “wages are not going up”. He said, “At this point, it's impossible for us, and for you as parliamentarians, to assess the likelihood or probability of the government hitting any fiscal target.”

Since the Prime Minister took office, federal spending has gone up 8.4%. He boosted consultants by 37% and boosted spending on bureaucrats by 6%. Justin Trudeau left a deficit of $42 billion. This PM's platform raised that to $62 billion. Some estimate it could cost double. It is time to ship around—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Bourassa.

Luguentz Dort

[Abdelhaq Sari, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the NBA's Larry O'Brien trophy weighs more than 20 pounds. How do I know that? It is because the trophy was brought home to my riding of Bourassa. Luguentz Dort, who faced off against his childhood friend Bennedict Mathurin, brought the trophy home to Bourassa. We really had it back home in Bourassa.

He also brought back hope. He brought back pride for young people in Bourassa. He also brought back a clear message about the need for infrastructure. It is unacceptable that over 40,000 young people in Bourassa have to train at night in another riding in order to have access to infrastructure or a sports complex.

Luguentz Dort brought back hope and pride, but he also brought back a clear message: Now, more than ever, the riding of Bourassa also has the right to a sports complex.

Prime Minister of Canada

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after six months, the Prime Minister's record can be summed up as “promises made, promises broken”. The Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7; instead, he has delivered the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7. The Prime Minister promised jobs and investment; he has killed 86,000 jobs and presided over a massive outflow of investment. The Prime Minister promised to spend less; it turns out, deficit spending has doubled. The Prime Minister promised nation-building projects; the record shows there are no new permits, no new projects, and I could go on.

Promise after promise is made; promise after promise is broken. With the Prime Minister, it is a broken record of broken promises. Canadians deserve so much better.

Canadian Film Industry

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Kunsang Kyirong and the cast and crew of her debut feature film, 100 Sunset. The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won honourable mention for the Best Canadian Discovery Award.

100 Sunset is set in a pair of apartment buildings in the Parkdale neighbourhood in our riding. It is brought to life by non-professional Tibetan Canadian actors. In the words of the award jury, “we experience the gossip, rivalries, and intrigues through the eyes of an observant young thief who rarely speaks but seems to register everything.” I saw the movie two weeks ago, and it is still with me. It is an intimate exploration of the Tibetan Canadian immigrant experience.

100 Sunset was also screened last week at the Revue Cinema in the Roncesvalles area of Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park, where hundreds of members of our community joined in celebration to see their friends and family on the big screen. It is hitting more screens in Canada next year.

How did all of this happen? Three years ago, Kunsang Kyirong was able to make this film through support she received from Telefilm Canada's talent to watch program. She is a brilliant Canadian artist supported by an essential Canadian institution.

Public Safety

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of Liberal soft-on-crime policy, violent crime is up 50%, sexual assault is up 75%, and gun crime is up 116%. Just about everybody in this country is demanding bail reform, yet the Liberals block it at every turn. Every single day that they delay, more rapists, gangsters and repeat offenders are dumped back on our streets to victimize innocent Canadians.

Why are the Liberals obstructing fixing the broken bail system and choosing to shield dangerous criminals rather than protecting Canadian families? Why do they not do something about it today?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to my hon. colleague, I am sure she knows that we are moving forward with bail reform legislation that will be tabled in the House this fall. I had the opportunity yesterday to connect with a number of my critics, including the Conservative critic, to discuss items of mutual concern. Our belief on this side of the House is that we need to strengthen our bail laws and our sentencing laws to ensure that dangerous people who commit serious crimes and pose a public safety threat are not left to roam free on our streets.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the minister voted for all the things to break our system. The now public safety minister actually said during the election that bail was not a problem, and the justice minister who just answered my question ridiculed Canadians with his Twitter hot takes. After years of headlines about violent offenders released again and again in our streets, the Liberals are obstructing a real solution, right now, to fixing bail. On Monday, they have a chance to vote for the “three strikes and you're out” law to end repeat violent offenders being churned out onto the streets.

Do the Liberals really think Canadians should wait for the next murder, the next assault or the next victim? They should act now.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, we agree that we need to take action to ensure that violent repeat offenders are not left on our streets. However, it is curious, the strategy that the Conservatives have chosen. The law they are putting forward now has been shown to be a failure in every jurisdiction in which it has been tried. It is a theory that has come directly out of the United States. I do not know if the opposition was paying attention during the recent election campaign, but Canadians very much want laws to be developed in Canada.

This is Canada, not the United States, and the citizens I represent in Central Nova would very much like to keep it that way.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of passing catch-and-release laws that turn criminals loose on our streets, the Liberals are now obstructing “jail, not bail” laws. In Nova Scotia, a man sexually assaulted more than 300 children and within hours was released on bail. This is outrageous. The same violent criminals are cycling through the system again and again. That is why our Conservative motion would bring a “three strikes and you're out” law, with no bail after three serious convictions.

On Monday, will the Liberals stop obstructing Parliament and pass it?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, the circumstances my hon. colleague raises clearly engage heinous crimes that need to be taken absolutely seriously. I spent a number of the last few months meeting with law enforcement, meeting with people who work within the criminal justice system and meeting with people who have dedicated their lives and careers to improving public safety in this country. Not one of them has come forward with the recommendation that we should adopt the Conservatives' approach to this particular issue.

We will use evidence and we will work with the stakeholders who know what they are talking about to advance solutions that would actually make Canada a safer place. I hope the Conservatives will work with us.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if the Liberals really wanted to crack down on crime, they would not cling to their catch-and-release laws that let repeat violent offenders back on our streets. For years, premiers, police chiefs and mayors across the country have been pleading with the government, while it defends laws that let criminals back on our streets. Enough is enough. Our motion is clear: after three violent convictions, no bail, no parole and no house arrest.

Will the Liberals stop obstructing Parliament and pass “jail, not bail” this Monday, yes or no?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of legislation, there is legislation before this House as we speak: Bill C-2, which would secure our borders, deal with the scourge of fentanyl and bring order to our immigration system. That member has had many opportunities to get tough on crime by voting for Bill C-2. Where has he been?

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Liberals have been pursing soft-on-crime policies with lenient sentences and a catch-and-release approach that puts dangerous repeat offenders back on our streets, often within hours of being arrested. As a result, violent crime has increased by 55%, while dangerous repeat offenders roam our streets freely instead of serving their sentences behind bars.

Why does this Liberal Prime Minister continue to protect violent criminals instead of protecting Canadians?

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the initiatives my colleague, the Minister of Justice, just outlined, we are studying a very important bill, Bill C-2, which will give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to fight crime. We are talking about fentanyl, firearms smuggling and transnational gangs. This will have a direct impact on our communities and on safety in our streets. We will always be there to keep Canadians safe.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to protect Canadians, but instead they are weakening our laws, paving the way for repeat offenders and blocking meaningful solutions proposed by the opposition.

Our motion today is very clear: Three serious offences and game over. No bail, no house arrest, no probation. They get 10 years behind bars to protect Canadian families.

When will this government finally protect and prioritize Canadians and support the Conservative's “three strikes” law?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, what the constituents in the Lower St. Lawrence, and I dare say even the Conservative constituents in the Lower St. Lawrence, want to know is whether Parliament can function. They want to know if Parliament can function well enough to crack down on crime, implement reforms, prevent firearms from crossing our borders and deal with the issues, the scourge of drugs on our streets. The hon. member has the opportunity to vote in favour of a bill. He has had numerous opportunities to vote for Bill C‑2, which will clean up our legal system, which will clean up our system—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

The member for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj.

Justice

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' bias against Quebec's laws is clear from their stance against the notwithstanding clause. Ottawa's response is beyond belief. In its factum, the federal government justifies its attack against the notwithstanding clause by bringing up the possibility that Quebec could use it to “allow arbitrary executions or slavery”. Let me start by reassuring the government that Quebec has no interest in slavery or firing squads.

Now, when will the federal government withdraw its disrespectful factum and its unreasonable objection to the notwithstanding clause?