The sitting was dominated by debate on Bill C-12, the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act, and by a private member’s bill on intimate partner violence. The central political argument pitted Conservative claims that the Liberal government had created the border and asylum crises it now purported to fix against Liberal assertions that the bill was a necessary, balanced response to evolving security threats.
Bill C-12, the government’s border security legislation, would amend the Customs Act, the Oceans Act, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to expand CBSA inspection powers, allow the Coast Guard to conduct security patrols, accelerate control of precursor chemicals, and tighten asylum eligibility. The Conservatives criticized the bill as a watered-down version of the earlier Bill C-2, arguing it does not address bail reform, does not give CBSA officers authority beyond ports of entry, and does not fix the asylum backlog they blame on the Liberals’ 2017 “#WelcomeToCanada” tweet. The Bloc Québécois supported sending the bill to committee but pressed for more border officers and warned against reviving the privacy-invasive provisions removed from Bill C-2. The Liberals argued the bill strikes the right balance and is complemented by commitments to hire 1,000 new CBSA officers and 1,000 new RCMP officers.
Bill C-225, a private member’s bill introduced by Frank Caputo (CPC), would create a distinct Criminal Code offence of assault on an intimate partner, classify the killing of an intimate partner as first-degree murder, and allow courts to order a risk assessment for accused persons. Caputo urged non-partisan support and noted the family of Bailey McCourt had asked the bill be known as “Bailey’s law.” The Liberals did not commit to supporting it; Parliamentary Secretary Patricia Lattanzio argued the bill could penalize abused women who kill their abusers in self-defence and said the government prefers evidence-based, comprehensive reforms. The Bloc Québécois expressed support in principle but raised concerns about legislative overlap with Quebec’s existing measures.
Oral Questions focused on three themes. The Conservatives repeatedly pressed the government to cap the deficit at $42 billion in the upcoming budget, accusing the Liberals of driving inflation and food costs through “hidden taxes” on packaging, fuel and fertilizer. The government replied that those taxes are “imaginary” and highlighted the national school food program and other affordability measures. A second major theme was the Stellantis announcement that it would move production from Brampton to the United States; the Conservatives demanded the release of the $15-billion contract to see whether it contained a jobs guarantee. The Minister of Industry said the decision was “unacceptable,” that documents would be produced at committee, and that the government would use “the full force of the law” if necessary. A third theme was the Leader of the Opposition’s characterization of the RCMP as “despicable”; Liberal ministers repeatedly called on him to apologize, which he did not do.