Sitting 129 — June 4, 2026

The sitting opened with a lengthy debate on a Conservative motion to concur in the Veterans Affairs committee's fifth report, which called for an independent military review board to address historical wrongs in the awarding of medals and honours. Members from all parties, including the Bloc Québécois and Liberals, engaged in an emotional discussion centered on the case of the late Jess Larochelle, with Conservatives urging the government to act swiftly and the government indicating its openness to the proposal while noting that an independent review had already been announced. The debate also touched on the Snowbirds demonstration team and the broader need to ensure veterans receive proper recognition.

The dominant legislative item was Bill C-16, the protecting victims act, for which the government moved a time allocation motion, leading to sharp exchanges over the use of closure. The justice minister argued the bill was urgently needed to combat femicide, coercive control, and deepfake exploitation, while Conservatives accused the Liberals of hypocrisy and of watering down mandatory minimum sentences through a constitutional safety valve. Debate continued at report stage, with members debating the balance between victim protections and judicial discretion. Question period was dominated by the opposition's sustained attack on the government's economic record, with Conservatives repeating that Canada was the only G20 country in recession, citing job losses, food bank usage, and the Prime Minister's travel expenses. Ministers countered by pointing to trade diversification, infrastructure investments, and affordability measures including the groceries and essentials benefit.

Additional exchanges covered Canadian culture and the CRTC streaming levy, climate policy and the Prime Minister's shift toward oil, the $300-million PrescribeIT program, and regional concerns including forestry supports. The Bloc Québécois pressed the government on its backtracking on cultural protections for Quebec content. In private members' business, the House debated Bill C-259, the fair representation act, which would amend the Canada Labour Code to strengthen union accountability. The adjournment proceedings addressed health spending, employment programs, and fiscal policy, with Conservatives pressing for greater transparency on government expenditures.