Sitting 145 — October 5, 2026

The sitting was dominated by the government's Building Canada Strong Act, debated at length in Government Orders, with the central argument being whether the bill would genuinely accelerate major project approvals or simply add bureaucracy and centralize power while eroding environmental and labour protections. A private member's bill on mischief against religious property was also debated, and question period was consumed by cost-of-living, steel and energy disputes.

Bill C-255, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (mischief—religious property), sponsored by Kelly Block (CPC), would add a new offence for mischief against places of worship that does not require proof of hate motivation, and would attach mandatory minimum penalties and mandatory restitution mirroring those for war memorials. Block argued the change closes a gap where police cannot prove motive. Kevin Lamoureux (LIB) said the bill duplicates existing offences and the Combatting Hate Act, and noted Conservatives opposed that legislation; Chris Bittle (LIB) said he would vote against it for the same reasons. Rhéal Éloi Fortin (BQ) said the Bloc would oppose it, objecting to mandatory minimums and parliamentary supervision of judges. Tamara Kronis (CPC) supported it, citing police-reported hate crime data.

Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, would streamline federal reviews and permitting for major projects, set a one-year decision timeline once information is complete, create a national trade corridors council, modernize port governance, and amend the Canada Labour Code, including changes around section 107 and earlier bargaining. Liberals, including Marie-France Lalonde, Doly Begum, Daniel Gobeil, Sonia Sidhu, Judy Sgro and Eleanor Olszewski, supported it as necessary to attract investment and diversify trade. Conservatives, including David McKenzie, Brad Redekopp, Connie Cody, Sukhman Gill, Carol Anstey, Glen Motz, Jeremy Patzer and Shannon Stubbs, said it would not deliver results, that the one-year clock can be paused or extended, and that it fails to repeal Bill C-69 and Bill C-48. Christine Normandin and Xavier Barsalou-Duval (BQ) objected that it makes Bill C-5's emergency powers permanent, sidelines environmental expertise and weakens workers' rights. Leah Gazan and Heather McPherson (NDP) said it would violate UNDRIP, section 35 rights and the right to strike, citing the Canadian Labour Congress. Elizabeth May (GP) called the bill deceitful for repealing Bill C-5's sunset clause.

Oral Questions were dominated by three recurring themes: affordability and diesel prices, with the Conservatives pressing an emergency fuel relief plan to remove federal diesel taxes and the government citing the suspended excise tax, the groceries and essentials benefit and global price coordination; steel and aluminum, where the Conservatives blamed the Prime Minister for Stelco layoffs and Chinese steel in LNG Canada phase two while ministers cited support programs, Investment Canada Act obligations and new projects; and justice and public safety, where the Conservatives demanded parole reform and the government defended independent Parole Board decisions and falling crime rates. Other exchanges covered housing, seniors' Cúram backlogs, foreign affairs and the environment.