Sitting 17 — June 17, 2025

The sitting was dominated by a Conservative opposition day motion calling on the government to reverse its policy requiring an increasing share of new vehicle sales to be zero-emission. Conservatives framed the regulations as a de facto ban on gas-powered vehicles that would add $20,000 to vehicle costs, eliminate tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs, and impose an impractical mandate on rural and northern Canadians. Liberal members countered that there is no ban and that the regulations support a growing electric vehicle supply chain in which Canada leads globally, pointing to record investments from automakers like Volkswagen and Honda. The Bloc Québécois navigated a middle position, highlighting Quebec's existing EV ecosystem while warning against federal overreach, and the NDP noted that other jurisdictions like Norway had successfully managed similar transitions with appropriate incentives.

A concurrent privilege debate unfolded regarding allegedly misleading statements made by a minister during committee of the whole on June 11, with the parliamentary secretary responding to the question of privilege raised by the member for Lakeland. The House also processed the 2025-26 Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A) through a rapid series of concurrence votes, with the Bloc, NDP, and Green Party joining the Liberals while Conservatives opposed. Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali moved through departmental votes for Canadian Heritage, CMHC, Citizenship and Immigration, the Office of the Governor General's Secretary, and the Leaders' Debates Commission, all passing on division.

Question Period focused heavily on the auto sector and U.S. tariff threats, with ministers emphasizing trade diversification and the one Canadian economy bill. Housing exchanges grew increasingly personal, as Conservative members highlighted the Housing Minister's multi-property real estate holdings while questioning his commitment to affordability. Justice questions centred on extortion rates up 357% and a Peel Regional Police operation that arrested 18 individuals. The Bloc pressed the government on Bill C-5's environmental implications and the bypassing of Quebec's consent for energy projects, while the government maintained the bill respected provincial jurisdiction and indigenous rights.