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45-1 · 504 speeches · 118,508 words · most frequent word: “project”
Business of Supply·Building Canada Strong Act·TaxationThe sitting was dominated by a Conservative opposition motion on diesel prices, debated across three separate blocks of Government Orders for well over a hundred speeches, with the central argument being whether record diesel costs are driven by global conflict or by federal taxes and regulatory barriers. The Conservatives demanded an emergency fuel relief plan; the Liberals pointed to Bill C-38's excise tax suspension and a broader affordability package; the Bloc and Greens rejected the motion from opposite directions. Private Members' Business on the Youth Criminal Justice Act and debate on the Building Canada Strong Act also occupied the House.
The Conservative motion, moved by Carol Anstey (CPC), called for emergency pre-permitting and tax relief for diesel infrastructure, elimination of all taxes on diesel consumption until at least Canada Day, permanent elimination of taxes on diesel production, and a target of one million barrels per day. Anstey cited diesel at roughly $2.63 a litre, 24 cents above the U.S. average and 31 cents above the world average, and farmers facing fuel bills up 56 per cent in two years. David Bexte (CPC) said a combine burns 60 to 80 litres an hour and that the Grain Growers of Canada estimated a $15,000 increase for one machine. Fraser Tolmie (CPC) argued the government's relief expires April 1, just as seeding begins. Pierre Poilievre (CPC) said the plan would remove roughly 20 cents a litre through the industrial carbon tax, clean fuel regulations, excise tax and GST, and accused the government of blocking projects and then offering a crutch. John Barlow (CPC) and Bob Zimmer (CPC) tied diesel to grocery prices and northern transportation costs.
The Liberals opposed the motion. Claude Guay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Energy Minister, said bitumen must be processed and refined, that Canada's diesel production hit nearly 730,000 barrels per day in April 2026, and that G7 leaders agreed to release 100 million barrels. Kevin Lamoureux (LIB) repeatedly challenged whether Conservatives wanted all fuel taxation permanently abolished, and argued the government's tax relief, groceries benefit, dental plan and school food program were the real affordability measures. Jean-Yves Duclos (LIB) and Charles Sousa (LIB) said new refineries cannot be built in months and would not lower this month's prices. Marilyn Gladu (LIB) defended monitoring the Strait of Hormuz situation before extending relief further.
The Bloc Québécois said it could not support the motion. Jean-Denis Garon (BQ) called it full of shortcuts and said the Bloc wanted targeted, costed measures, noting dyed agricultural diesel already receives different treatment. Mario Simard (BQ) said eliminating the tax would mainly benefit oil companies, citing $131 billion in oil and gas profits between 2021 and 2024 and $80 billion paid out in dividends, most to foreign owners. Xavier Barsalou-Duval (BQ) proposed a targeted excise credit triggered when diesel prices rise sharply year over year. Elizabeth May (GP) agreed Canada should process resources domestically but rejected the motion's framing, noting Canada had 40 refineries in the early 1970s and about 17 now, and disputing Liberal claims about small modular reactors.
| Member | Party | Speeches | Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Lamoureux | Liberal | 35 | 6,850 |
| Claude Guay | Liberal | 15 | 5,486 |
| Luc Berthold | Conservative | 11 | 5,093 |
| Juanita Nathan | Liberal | 9 | 3,899 |
| Elizabeth May |
Private Members' Business saw third reading debate on Bill C-231, the friends of David bill, amending the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Luc Berthold (CPC) described his late son David and the bill's purpose: allowing youth justice courts to delay sentencing so a young person can enter a problematic substance use or other treatment program, and permitting such attendance as an order condition, with refusal not held against the young person. Committee amendments replaced "addiction" with "problematic substance use," broadened programs to include mental health, and extended referral consideration to prosecutors. Kelly DeRidder (CPC), Rhéal Éloi Fortin (BQ) and Juanita Nathan (LIB) all supported it, and Berthold noted the earlier vote was 327 to zero.
Government Orders also took up the Building Canada Strong Act. Patrick Weiler (LIB) defended coordinating federal assessment, permitting and consultation so they run concurrently rather than sequentially, and raised questions about the definition of a "comprehensive application" that starts the one-year clock, participant funding, limits on preparatory work, and the new power to change project conditions. Ellis Ross (CPC) asked whether the Pacific link pipeline would proceed without consent from some first nations, as with Trans Mountain; Weiler said section 35 consultation obligations cannot be legislated away and the Crown consultation hub would improve the process. Kelly McCauley (CPC) challenged Weiler on his past support for an oil and gas cap.
Oral Questions were consumed by three recurring themes. On diesel and taxation, Conservatives repeatedly cited farmers' fuel bills and asked whether the government would back the emergency plan; the government answered by urging support for Bill C-38's excise extension, with François-Philippe Champagne and Tim Hodgson telling Conservatives to vote for it and Joanne Thompson pointing to the groceries benefit. On procurement, Conservatives accused the government of sending $7.8 billion to American companies despite a "buy Canadian" promise; Joël Lightbound and Stephen Fuhr defended the policy, citing General Dynamics, IBM Canada and Microsoft Canada jobs. On the environment, the Bloc attacked Bill C-39 as letting projects bypass assessments and consultation; Steven MacKinnon, Dominic LeBlanc and Julie Dabrusin rejected that, saying faster decisions do not lower standards.
Other exchanges covered the Cúram old age security backlog, with Joël Lightbound saying backlogs are falling month over month; Canada Health Infoway's PrescribeIT spending, with Marjorie Michel declining comment as the matter is before the courts; and the Indian Head research farm, with Heath MacDonald saying seed increase operations continue for 2027. In Routine Proceedings, Ahmed Hussen presented the foreign affairs committee's Indo-Pacific report, which Eric Duncan (CPC) criticized for refusing to sign the Canada-Taiwan trade framework; Karina Gould presented the finance committee's report on Bill C-38 without amendment. Petitions concerned Canada Post delivery and rural offices, gender-affirming care, Bill C-247 and section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, agricultural research terminations, an over-the-horizon radar site in Clearview Township, and opposition to MAID expansion for mental illness alone, with Arnold Viersen (CPC) urging adoption of Bill C-218. Kevin Lamoureux asked that all questions on the order paper stand, which was agreed. A recorded division was requested on the diesel motion, and unanimous consent requests to table documents were denied.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official Hansard.
| 18 |
| 3,604 |
| Sébastien Lemire | Bloc | 10 | 3,340 |
| Arnold Viersen | Conservative | 11 | 2,956 |
| Charles Sousa | Liberal | 9 | 2,905 |
| Jean-Denis Garon | Bloc | 9 | 2,840 |
| Cheryl Gallant | Conservative | 9 | 2,546 |