Sitting 129 — June 4, 2026

The sitting was dominated by debate on Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, and a concurrence motion on a veterans affairs committee report. The central political argument pitted the government and its supporters, who said the bill was urgently needed to protect victims of gender-based violence and child exploitation, against Conservatives, who said a "safety valve" clause would let judges ignore mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes.

The House unanimously agreed to a motion concurring in the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, which recommended creating an independent Canadian Military Honours Review Board. Conservatives, led by Blake Richards, argued that veterans of the Afghanistan war and others, such as Master Corporal Jess Larochelle, had been denied proper recognition, including the Canadian Victoria Cross, which has never been awarded. Government members, including parliamentary secretaries Pauline Rochefort and Sherry Romanado, said they supported the board and were working with the advocacy group Valour in the Presence of the Enemy on next steps. The motion passed without a recorded division.

The government moved a time allocation motion to limit further debate on Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, to one day at report stage and five hours at third reading. Justice Minister Sean Fraser argued the bill was urgent, citing a woman killed every 48 hours by intimate partner violence and the rise of AI-generated deepfakes. He accused Conservatives of filibustering at committee. Conservatives, including Larry Brock and James Bezan, called the motion an attack on democracy and said the government was stifling debate. The NDP's Gord Johns said fast-tracking would not improve the legislation. The motion was adopted on a recorded vote.

In debate on Bill C-16, government members said the bill would criminalize coercive control, treat femicide as first-degree murder, restore 12 mandatory minimum penalties for child sexual offences through a "safety valve" to ensure constitutionality, and address court delays. Conservatives, including Roman Baber, Tamara Jansen and Raquel Dancho, said they supported parts of the bill but opposed clause 63, which they called a "poison pill" that would let judges bypass mandatory minimums for crimes including aggravated sexual assault with a firearm and extortion with a firearm. They said their amendments to narrow the safety valve were rejected. The Bloc Québécois supported the bill's principles but noted some of its amendments were also rejected.

Oral Questions was dominated by Conservative attacks on the government's economic record, with repeated questions asking whether Canada was in a "recession" or a "technical recession." Conservatives cited Canada being the only G20 country in recession, rising food insecurity and the Prime Minister's travel expenses. Government ministers defended the economy, citing trade deals, investments in infrastructure and the upcoming Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. Other themes included Bloc Québécois questions on culture funding and the government's AI strategy, with the NDP and Greens calling for stronger protections.