Sitting 82 — February 9, 2026

The sitting was dominated by debate on two government bills: Bill C-10, which would create a new officer of Parliament to oversee modern treaty implementation, and Bill C-230, a private member’s bill to establish a public registry of large corporate debts forgiven by the government. The central political argument pitted Conservative calls for direct ministerial accountability and enforcement against the Liberal position that independent oversight and transparency mechanisms are needed to address long-standing federal failures.

Bill C-230, introduced by Adam Chambers (CPC), would amend the Financial Administration Act to require the Treasury Board to maintain a public, searchable online registry of any debt, obligation or claim of $1 million or more that the Crown has waived, written off or forgiven for corporations, trusts or partnerships. Conservatives argued the bill would expose secret write-offs of billions of dollars—$18.4 billion in 2023-24 alone—while ordinary Canadians and small businesses are aggressively pursued for small sums. The Bloc Québécois supported the bill, calling it a useful tool for parliamentary oversight of industrial policy. The Liberal speaker welcomed the bill’s intent but raised concerns about privacy, commercial sensitivity, administrative burden and the need to clarify which debts would be covered, and said the party looked forward to studying it in committee. The bill was carried on division.

Bill C-10, the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation Act, would establish an independent officer of Parliament to conduct reviews and performance audits of federal departments’ implementation of modern treaties and self-government agreements. The minister, Mandy Gull-Masty (Lib.), said the bill responds to decades of advocacy by treaty partners and would provide culturally specific, independent oversight that supplements the Auditor General’s work. Conservatives opposed the bill, arguing it creates a multi-million-dollar bureaucracy with no enforcement power, duplicates existing oversight by the Auditor General, and does not compel ministers to act. They noted that under the previous Conservative government five modern treaties were concluded in six years, while the Liberals have concluded none in over a decade. The Bloc Québécois supported the bill, calling it a useful accountability tool. The NDP also supported it, arguing it is necessary to ensure treaties are implemented. The bill was carried on division.

Oral Questions focused on the economy, employment, pensions, the automotive industry and public safety. Conservatives repeatedly criticized the government’s economic record, citing 52,000 private-sector job losses in the previous month, high food inflation and the loss of auto-sector jobs to the United States. They demanded the government reverse its new $2.3-billion EV subsidy program, which they argued would subsidize American-made vehicles during a U.S. tariff war. The Bloc Québécois pressed the government on Old Age Security payment disruptions caused by the new Cúram software, saying 85,000 seniors had been affected. Government ministers defended their record, citing 160,000 jobs created since September, wage growth, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, and investments in housing and infrastructure. On the EV subsidy, the industry minister said the program is designed to support production in Canada and that the government is fighting for auto workers. On pensions, ministers acknowledged some errors but said the modernization was on budget and that affected seniors would be helped.