Sitting 107 — April 21, 2026

The sitting featured extended debate on a Conservative motion to concur in the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, which called on the government to reconsider its policy of restricting student grants to public institutions. Conservatives argued the policy discriminated against students at private career colleges, particularly in rural areas and in skilled trades programs. Bloc Québécois members raised parallel concerns about the inadequacy of federal graduate scholarships, which they noted had not been adjusted for inflation in 20 years. The government defended its programs while the Parliamentary Budget Officer appointment debate saw the House approve Annette Ryan for a seven-year term. Later, the House took up report-stage amendments to Bill C-10, the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation Act, with extensive discussion of whether a new commissioner could meaningfully accelerate the implementation of existing modern treaties.

Question Period was dominated by Prime Minister Mark Carney's presence, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pressing him directly on a claim made March 25 that "affordability is the best it has been in over a decade." The Prime Minister clarified he had been referring specifically to rent affordability, citing 18 consecutive months of declining asking rents and wage growth at twice the rate of inflation. The exchange grew heated as Poilievre challenged the clarification, arguing that one-bedroom rents had nearly doubled from $970 to $1,850 over the decade. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet pressed the government on U.S. trade negotiations, expressing concern that the government was relaunching advisory committees while substantive negotiations stalled. The government confirmed it was considering transitional support for businesses affected by the new U.S. section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum.