Sitting 110 — April 24, 2026

Second reading debate on Bill C-25, the Strong and Free Elections Act, anchored the legislative day. The bill proposes amendments to the Canada Elections Act, including measures to combat foreign interference and artificial intelligence-driven disinformation in elections, changes to candidate nomination rules, and increased penalties for electoral offences. Parliamentary Secretary Kevin Lamoureux identified AI as the greatest threat to democracy through the potential for deepfakes and third-party manipulation. Conservative MP Dan Albas questioned the removal of candidate deposits and raised concerns about independent candidate proliferation, while the Bloc Québécois supported the bill in principle but advocated for reinstating public per-vote financing and lowering donation limits to reduce the appearance of corruption.

Question period saw the Conservatives continue their assault on the government's fiscal record ahead of the anticipated spring economic update. MP Larry Brock accused the Prime Minister of doubling the deficit and adding $90 billion in net new spending, while MP Luc Berthold highlighted that debt interest charges exceeded federal health transfers. Finance Minister Champagne pointed to IMF data showing Canada's strong fiscal position relative to G7 peers. The Bloc Québécois challenged the government on the Sunrise pipeline expansion approval, arguing it contradicted climate commitments. Conservative MPs also raised the $200-million spaceport contract with Maritime Launch Services in Nova Scotia and the PrescribeIT program's $300-million expenditure with less than 5% prescription uptake.

International trade and U.S. tariffs featured prominently. Conservative MP Kyle Seeback noted it had been 278 days since the Prime Minister's self-imposed deadline for a trade deal with the United States, while tariff rates on steel had doubled and on lumber had tripled. The government defended its strategy of trade diversification, citing new agreements with Indonesia, India, and the UAE. On immigration, Conservative MP Burton Bailey questioned the interim federal health program covering rejected refugee claimants, while the government noted a 43% decline in program usage. In private members' business, Bill S-226, the Jury Duty Appreciation Week Act, received second reading debate with cross-party support for recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of jurors. The adjournment proceedings were not held.