Sitting 108 — April 22, 2026

The sitting was dominated by debate on the Red River Métis Self-Government Recognition and Implementation Treaty Act (Bill C-21), a historic piece of legislation to implement a self-government treaty with the Manitoba Métis Federation, and by a sustained Conservative attack on the government’s economic record, centred on the Prime Minister’s claim that affordability is the best it has been in a decade. Oral Questions repeatedly returned to that theme, with the Conservatives citing rising food and fuel prices, while the government defended its suite of affordability measures.

Government Orders were consumed by second-reading debate on Bill C-21, which would give legal and constitutional force to the Red River Métis Self-Government Recognition and Implementation Treaty, recognizing the Manitoba Métis Federation as the government of the Red River Métis with law-making authority over citizenship, leadership selection and internal governance. The minister, Rebecca Alty (Lib.), called it a milestone correcting a 150-year-old broken promise to Louis Riel’s provisional government. The Bloc Québécois and NDP spoke in favour, with the NDP’s Leah Gazan proposing an amendment to safeguard the rights of other indigenous peoples. Conservatives, led by Billy Morin and David McKenzie, expressed support for Métis self-government in principle but raised concerns about insufficient consultation with other Métis governments and first nations, ambiguous geographic scope, and the risk of constitutional litigation. The government urged the House to let the debate collapse so the bill could proceed to committee for detailed study.

Private Members’ Business saw third reading and passage of Bill C-234, the Living Donor Recognition Medal Act, sponsored by Ziad Aboultaif (CPC). The bill would create a medal within the Canadian honours system to recognize living organ, tissue, bone marrow and long-term blood donors. It received unanimous support across all parties. Aboultaif, who donated part of his liver to his son, described the bill as a personal mission to raise awareness and encourage donation. Several members spoke in favour, noting it was National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week. The bill was passed on division and will now go to the Senate.

Oral Questions were dominated by the economy, with the Conservatives repeatedly quoting the Prime Minister’s March 25 statement that affordability is the best it has been in a decade. They cited rising food inflation, fuel prices, rents and housing costs, and pressed the government to adopt Conservative proposals to cut taxes on fuel and groceries. The government responded by listing its own measures: a temporary pause on the federal excise tax on fuel, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, the Canada child benefit, the dental care plan, the national school food program, and tax cuts for 22 million Canadians. A secondary theme was immigration and public safety, where Conservatives accused the government of a two-tier justice system that gives non-citizen criminals lighter sentences to avoid deportation. The Minister of Justice, Sean Fraser, rejected the charge and pointed to government bills C-14 and C-16 as advancing stiffer penalties for violent offenders. The Bloc Québécois raised Earth Day and climate concerns, criticizing reported government interest in a new oil sands pipeline, and also questioned the absence of Quebec cultural representatives on the Canada-U.S. trade advisory committee. The NDP asked about expediting study permits for Gaza students.