Sitting 45 — October 28, 2025

The sitting was dominated by debate on Bill C-13, which would implement the United Kingdom’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and Bill C-3, which would amend the Citizenship Act to expand citizenship by descent. The central political argument was the government’s trade record: the Conservatives accused the Liberals of failing to secure concessions from the U.K. for Canadian farmers and U.K. pensioners, while the Liberals defended the agreement as a vital step in diversifying trade beyond the United States.

Bill C-13, to implement the U.K.’s accession to the CPTPP, was supported in principle by the Liberals, Bloc Québécois, and Conservatives, though with sharp criticism. Conservatives repeatedly argued that the government had not resolved outstanding non-tariff barriers blocking Canadian beef and pork exports to the U.K., nor the issue of frozen U.K. pensions for Canadian residents, and that Canada had given away leverage without receiving anything in return. The Bloc Québécois said it would vote for the principle but would oppose investor-state dispute settlement provisions at committee, and criticized the government for violating its own 21-day policy on tabling treaties by introducing the bill 15 days after the agreement was announced. The NDP raised the pension issue and said the trade agreement was not the right forum to resolve it. The government argued the accession would strengthen a major trade bloc and create opportunities for Canadian businesses, particularly in aerospace, seafood, and agriculture.

Bill C-3, an act to amend the Citizenship Act, was debated at report stage after amendments were adopted in committee. The committee, with Conservative and Bloc support, added requirements for a substantial connection to Canada (1,095 days of residence within five years), language proficiency, a citizenship test, and security screening for those acquiring citizenship by descent beyond the first generation. The government signalled it would support NDP amendments to strip those requirements, arguing they went beyond what the courts required and that the bill as amended by the committee would create a two-tier system. Conservatives and the Bloc accused the Liberals of disrespecting the committee’s work and of devaluing Canadian citizenship. The Bloc noted the minister could not estimate how many people the bill would affect, while the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated 115,000 to 300,000.

Oral Questions focused on the economy, food bank use, and the government’s trade negotiations with the United States and China. The Conservatives repeatedly cited a Food Banks Canada report showing 2.2 million monthly visits and pressed the government to table an “affordable budget.” The government replied that it had introduced programs such as the national school food program, dental care, and the Canada disability benefit, and accused the Conservatives of voting against those measures. On trade, the Conservatives criticized the Prime Minister for failing to secure a deal with the U.S. by his self-imposed July 21 deadline and for allowing softwood lumber tariffs to rise from 14% to 45%. The government said it would not accept just any deal and was working to support affected industries. The Bloc Québécois asked what the government would do to restore relations with the U.S., and the government said it remained ready to negotiate. On canola, the Conservatives pressed the government to secure tariff relief from China ahead of the Prime Minister’s meeting with President Xi; the government said it was raising the issue and exploring new markets.