Sitting 78 — February 3, 2026

The House devoted the day to a Conservative opposition motion on food affordability, which called on the government to acknowledge that food prices had risen dramatically since the Finance Minister's 2023 pledge to stabilize them and to take additional steps including removing industrial carbon pricing and the clean fuel standard. The debate was notable for the unveiling of former prime minister Stephen Harper's official portrait, with MPs from all parties paying tribute to his service even as they clashed over current economic policy. Conservatives argued that Canada's food inflation—the highest in the G7 at 6.2%—was a direct result of federal taxes on farmers, truckers, and food processors, while Liberal and Bloc members pointed to climate change, global supply chain disruptions, and U.S. tariffs as the primary drivers.

Question Period featured sharp exchanges between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre, with Poilievre pressing the Prime Minister on why Canada's food inflation outpaced all other G7 nations. Carney maintained that the industrial carbon tax had virtually no impact on grocery prices, citing analysis from the Canadian Climate Institute, and pointed to the fall in the Canadian dollar during the previous Parliament's filibuster as a contributing factor identified by TD Bank. The government also faced sustained questioning on the auto sector, following General Motors' layoff of 1,200 workers in Oshawa, with Industry Minister Joly acknowledging the hardship while emphasizing new investments including the NextStar battery plant in Windsor.

Separate debates touched on the Cúram old age security software problems, with the government confirming that approximately 2% of claimants experienced delays, and on the forestry sector, where members from British Columbia raised the closure of the Crofton mill affecting over 250 workers. The evening included a private member's motion (Motion 16) proposing a study on using underused federal lands for veterans' housing, and adjournment proceedings on housing and natural resources. The day also saw extensive petitioning on Bill C-9, with Conservative members presenting numerous petitions expressing concern that amendments to remove the religious freedom defence clause could criminalize passages from sacred texts.