Sitting 117 — May 5, 2026

The sitting was dominated by a Bloc Québécois opposition motion condemning U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and copper, and by the government’s response to the trade crisis. The central political argument was whether the government’s new loan-based support package was sufficient or whether a wage subsidy was needed to keep businesses afloat while negotiations with Washington remained stalled.

The Bloc Québécois moved an opposition motion that condemned the U.S. tariffs imposed on April 6, 2026, noted that the new calculation method—applying a 25% tariff to the full value of any product containing more than 15% steel, aluminum or copper—was hitting a growing number of SMEs, and called on the government to provide direct support, including a wage subsidy, until a trade agreement is restored. Bloc speakers argued that the government’s $1-billion loan program through the Business Development Bank of Canada and $500 million for regional agencies would not help already over-indebted SMEs, and that a wage subsidy modelled on the pandemic-era program was needed to retain skilled workers. The Liberals supported the motion in principle but defended their package, saying the loans offered favourable terms—no interest for three years, no repayment in the first year—and that regional agencies would reach smaller firms. The Conservatives also supported the motion but argued that loans were a band-aid and that the only real solution was a negotiated deal with the U.S., which they said the government had failed to pursue. The NDP and Green Party did not state a position on the motion during debate. The motion was put to a recorded division at the end of the sitting.

The government also debated the Military Justice System Modernization Act, Bill C-11, through a series of procedural votes in which party whips applied the results of earlier votes to later motions. The Minister of National Defence confirmed that the government was open to a Senate amendment adding a sunset clause to the bill. No substantive debate on the bill’s content occurred during these votes.

Oral Questions focused on three recurring themes: immigration enforcement, gas prices and the government’s trade strategy. The Conservatives pressed the Prime Minister and the immigration minister over a visa reportedly issued to an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps member, the lack of an exit-tracking system for temporary residents, and the minister’s competence. The government replied that senior IRGC officials are inadmissible, that 22,000 inadmissible individuals were removed last year, and that it was building an exit-tracking system. On gas prices, the Conservatives argued that the same $100-a-barrel oil price produced cheaper gas under the previous Conservative government, blaming Liberal taxes and a weak dollar, and demanded all gas taxes be removed for the year. The government cited the suspension of the federal excise tax and global energy market disruption from the Strait of Hormuz conflict. On trade, the Bloc Québécois asked why the government had not adopted a wage subsidy; the Prime Minister pointed to the new loan program. The Conservatives accused the government of having no negotiation strategy; the government replied that it was seeking the best deal, not a rushed one.