Ryan Turnbull
Whitby, Ontario · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, before I get started, I will just let you know that I will be sharing my time with the member for Beauport—Limoilou . I am pleased to rise today to debate Bill C-30 , which is an act to implement certain provisions of the spring economic update tabled in Parliament on April 28.”
“This would provide a savings of 10¢ per litre on gasoline and four cents per litre on diesel from April 20, 2026, through to Labour Day. The bill would also extend the suspension of the excise tax to aviation fuel over the same period to help mitigate the very high costs of jet fuel.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is good to be here in the very last moments before the House rises for the summer. I know that there are a large number of farms in the member opposite's riding. There are farm succession plans all across this country, and farmers do struggle with succession, so I understand the issue the member is speaking about.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would just say that it has become apparent in the House, through question period and many of the proceedings, that the Conservatives claim that they are about protecting and supporting vulnerable people, but in fact, they just seem to use those people's hardship for political gain.”
“It includes suspending the excise tax on fuel and extending that to aviation fuel. It includes a cap on the excise tax for alcohol, wine, spirits and beer. Craft brewers have been asking for this. Obviously, it would be capped at 2% of the escalator on the excise tax on alcohol.”
“It is a measure I have supported from day one because it offers owners of businesses that are small- to medium-sized, or they could be larger, the opportunity, when they want to sell the business, to protect those businesses and also to hand them down to workers.”
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“You are right, Mr. Speaker. I contravened the rules unintentionally there. My apologies to you and all the members. With that said, those members and I served on the procedure and House affairs committee. We looked at Centre Block revitalization. We talked about foreign interference, which we studied for nine months in committee. We studied the hybrid provisions during the pandemic to change standing orders so government could function during the middle of a global pandemic to pass legislation, put programs in place and save lives. I am really proud of that work. I know that committee functioned well, even though there was lots of rigorous debate. This is exactly what we can achieve when we work together. Committees will continue to function that way with them reflecting the majority in the House.”
“For example, Bill C-225 , sponsored by the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola , would, if adopted, make changes to the Criminal Code to create new offences related to intimate partner violence and coercive control. That is a very important issue to many of us, and I think we can stand together and work together on that. I know there is a general desire on behalf of all of us to do right by Canadians. There are many other examples. I will point to just two more. I served with the member for Kingston and the Islands , the member for Brampton North—Caledon and the member for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne , who was here a moment ago. She is not in the chamber at the moment, but I will say that—”
“That sentiment is what we want to achieve with the restructuring of committees. We want to work collaboratively across party lines. We want democracy to work for Canadians. That is what this government stands for and what I stand for as a member of Parliament. I know my colleagues on this side of the House, all 174 of us now, believe in that vision, which is to work on behalf of Canadians to make this place function, to pass better laws, to do better studies and, yes, to hold the government to account. That is exactly what we can achieve when we work together. I know there are many ways to interpret this motion, but I think it is important that we all take those committee responsibilities seriously and work as a group, hearing each other's perspectives with a common goal in mind, as with previous joint efforts on those committees.”
“That initiative proved to me years ago that this place can really work and that the function of committees is truly powerful. Another example that is more recent is that of the MP for Simcoe North , who is a colleague I served with on the finance committee, with Bill C-230 , an initiative he brought forward to increase transparency on debts owed to the Government of Canada. I found the member of the Conservative Party to be extremely reasonable and thoughtful, to participate in debates in good faith and to consider the amendments the government put forward and willing to accept some of them. In some cases, we negotiated back and forth to find a middle ground. That is what makes this place work. That is democracy in action, and it is the stuff that makes me proud to have served in the House for the last six and a half years.”
“We welcome her on this side of the House, but previously she served in the Conservative Party. She brought forward, I would say, an imperfect bill on pension protection, an issue that my constituents and I care deeply about, which also crossed all party lines. We worked both with the member and across all parties to find a solution to that private member's bill, to eventually pass it in the House. (1755) I am very proud of that work. I am proud to have supported that member and her initiative. Even though I was not the one leading it, and I may not have gotten the credit for it, that does not matter to me. This place works better because we work together, in this case, to protect pensioners by making sure that when a company goes through insolvency, pensioners are protected, that they get paid out not last on the list of creditors.”
“Committees give us the opportunity to come together in smaller groups on a regular basis. We get to know each other across party lines. We often find that we have more in common than we think or assume, even if we come from places that may be thousands of kilometres apart or from communities that have real regional differences that we all come to appreciate. Our shared understanding of and ultimate respect for our work on committees can bring out what is truly best in all of us. There are many examples where members of the House, on our own and with members from the other place, have worked together with amazing results. I will point to the MP for Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong , who worked on pension protection years ago in the House. She is now a member of our party on this side of the House, which is great.”
“What I particularly appreciate about committees is that we do not just look for answers from each other as members of Parliament but we also get to hear from the Canadians who, ultimately, elect us. Their voices get to be heard, and I think that is really powerful. The studies we undertake at committee, although sometimes a little laborious, I admit, at other times can really contribute both to parliamentary debate and also to government initiatives and responses, and they can better inform the whole process of democracy. Our best work at committee is often done when we are working together. That goes without question. I have been part of many committee studies in which we did not start out agreeing, that is for sure, but eventually came to reach consensus.”
“However, there is one place in the system of Parliament of making laws and passing bills where Canadians can sit directly across from us, and where we benefit from hearing from people with vast amounts of expertise and experience across many different fields. That is at committees. I have served on the industry committee, the finance committee, the procedure and House affairs committee, the agriculture and agri-food standing committee, the science and research committee, and the human resources, skills and social development and the status of persons with disabilities committee, which is a great committee. I have visited OGGO, ETHI and many of the other committees to sub in for colleagues from time to time and to participate in debates. All of them have been a privilege.”
“Nonetheless, as my previous colleague mentioned, this does not change the fact that our government now has 174 seats in the House, which is clearly a majority of the seats. Before turning to the motion we are debating, I want to spend a little bit of time speaking to the important role that committees serve in our parliamentary system. Canadians obviously have the opportunity to watch us here daily in the House of Commons. They watch us fiercely debate important pieces of legislation. They can see the work that we put into both making sure that bills pass and making sure the laws get the scrutiny they deserve, by asking questions and engaging in robust back-and-forth of ideas and perspectives. I know how challenging that process can be at times, but I think we are all better off for it.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague from Humber River—Black Creek for her 26 years of serving in the House and for her mentorship and friendship. The speech she made today was great. She is a testament to parliamentary tradition and also to a very progressive agenda for her community that I know she has pursued all throughout her career. I am very proud to call her a friend. After six and a half years of serving in the House, it is an honour to rise today to speak to government Motion No. 9. I say six and a half years because, since 2019, I only ever served in a minority Parliament. It is a great honour to be standing here today with our government's having earned a majority, whether through floor crossings or by-election results.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have already said multiple times that abuse of our tax system is illegal. The CRA takes enforcement action when it can identify suspicious activity. Safeguards have been put in place. The matter that the member is referring to is before the courts, and I cannot comment further, obviously.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have already answered this question multiple times today, but I will just add that when debt is established to the CRA, the agency takes legal action if necessary, using all available measures to ensure compliance. To safeguard taxpayer information and prevent misuse, the CRA has strong controls in place to verify accounts and transactions. The agency also collaborates with law enforcement and financial institutions, uses advanced data analytics and deploys dedicated teams to detect and respond to suspicious activity.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have said numerous times that any abuse of our tax system is illegal and unfair. It is certainly something the CRA takes very seriously and our government takes seriously. Enforcement action is under way here. There is an attempt to address the issue. The matter is before the courts, which we cannot comment on, of course. Additional safeguards have been put in place. I have already given the member details on that, and that is all I will say for today.”
“Mr. Speaker, we know that any abuse of the tax system is completely illegal and unfair to Canadians, and we take those matters seriously. The CRA has implemented additional safeguards to help ensure greater consistency and accuracy in refund processing. We also strengthened controls, intensified oversight and tightened authority levels. We will continue to strengthen the integrity of our tax system and protect taxpayer dollars. This matter is before the courts, and I cannot comment further on it.”
“Mr. Speaker, the CRA deals with millions of tax filings and does its very best to ensure a high quality of service. There have been improvements to that service over the last year, since the government has been in power. Any abuse of the tax system is illegal. The CRA takes enforcement action whenever it can identify instances of abuse. We certainly cannot comment on cases that are before the courts. Obviously, opposition members will be able to refer to any information that becomes public, and the CRA is implementing more safeguards in its processes.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. We take any abuse of the tax system not lightly but very seriously. It is obviously illegal to take advantage of the tax system. The CRA takes enforcement action when instances of abuse are identified. While we cannot comment on specific cases that are matters before the courts, obviously opposition members can see documents when they are publicly available. The CRA has implemented additional safeguards to help ensure greater consistency and accuracy in the refund process.”
“Mr. Speaker, every single day in this House, this government works toward making life more affordable for Canadians, authentically making every effort and taking every step to ensure that Canadians can get through the challenging times that our economy is experiencing due to global shocks. Canadians know that our government is stepping up with real support. The groceries and essentials benefit is almost $1,900 for families. If we just take child care, it saves families almost $1,200 a month on average. We have just cut the GST on new home purchases, as well, so that young people can get into the housing market. We are going to continue—”
“As usual, Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives do not actually read the reports they quote in this House. As the Minister of Industry said, that RBC report on foreign investment said that “Canada is back on the radar of global investors” and has attracted over $100 billion, “the highest level since 2015.” We also have a number of commitments from other countries, including Australia and the U.A.E., with over $80 billion of new investment. Just this week at the finance committee, we had our largest pension plan say that “Canada is at the right place at the right time” to attract global—”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians can rest assured that the Conservatives would do much less in every category. They pretend, in the House, to say that they would do more. Let us just take food prices for example. We have cut, just recently, 10¢ per litre off gasoline at the pump. That is in addition to 18¢ cut earlier in this government's mandate. That is 28¢ per litre, which is more than what the Conservatives have proposed. We have moved forward with the groceries and essentials benefit, which is worth almost $1,900 for the average Canadian family. The national school food program—”
“Mr. Speaker, the question is about more or less. The Conservatives want us to believe that they would actually do more for Canadians but, every chance they get, they would do less. They would do less on child care. They would do less on dental care. They would do less of an income tax cut. They would do less investing in infrastructure, less investing in housing and less investing in defence. In every category growing the economy and helping Canadians get through tough times, they would do much less than the government does. That is clear from their voting record, and it is clear from the things they say in the House. Canadians will not be manipulated.”
“Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives are fiercely determined to become even more unpopular. It is due to the Conservatives, I am sure, playing political games with Canadians and the struggles they are facing today while opposing affordability measures. It is just disingenuous. The woes of Canadians are not to be trifled with. On this side of the House, we know that. That is why we are providing immediate federal support in the form of another 10¢ tax cut at the pump, an income tax cut for 22 million Canadians, and offering a groceries and essentials benefit that will put over $1,800 into the families—”
“Mr. Speaker, the hypocrisy is dripping from the walls in this place. Conservatives, over the six and a half years that I have been in this House, have opposed every affordability measure that helps real Canadians and families. For six and a half years, we have seen them vote against child care, dental care and the Canada child benefit. They voted against feeding 400,000 more kids in school. They voted against the groceries and essentials benefit. Now they are saying we should do more at the pump, after we just cut the excise tax over the summer by 10¢ at the pump for Canadians, on top of all the other affordability measures we have put forward.”
“This is why I am proud our government is restoring integrity to the immigration system by bringing down levels to be sustainable, while improving the immigration process and ensuring people get jobs in the fields where their skills are really needed. With every successful settlement journey, we are building a stronger Canada for everyone. This is how we fulfill the promise of Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, for generations, Canada has been a place where people come to build a better life. During my last constituency week, I had the privilege of attending the grand opening of the Oshawa Clarington Welcome Centre and Durham Resettlement Assistance Program House, both of which provide essential settlement services to newcomers in our region. Canada's immigration system has always been about more than just arrivals; it is about helping newcomers build a life, contribute to our communities and strengthen our economy. In recent years, we have seen many pressures that have tested the limits of that system.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is hard to take this member seriously when she has voted against every affordability measure that impacts families in Durham Region. She stood up in this House and voted against the groceries and essentials benefit. She has voted against a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. The Conservatives say they want us to cut taxes at the pump. That is exactly what we are doing and yet they are opposed to it. We are making life more affordable. Where was the member when we announced a major project to give jobs to 21,700 members of the Durham Region community for the SMR project—”
“Mr. Speaker, far be it from any member on this side of the House to deprive the Conservative leader of driving the Conservative bus deeper down into the valley of unpopularity. They can rest assured that we will save the Conservatives money at the gas pumps along the way, with savings of 10¢ per litre with the excise tax having been suspended for the next four months and 28¢ per litre since this government got into power. That is in addition to the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. That is in addition to a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. We are the party that is making affordability a reality.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's interventions in this House. He is a wonderful member, and we welcome collaboration with him at any moment. What is great is that there is no real limitation on us taking good ideas that are generated by any party in the House and implementing those on behalf of Canadians. We have done that numerous times with proposals from multiple parties. We have seen that with the Canada dental care plan. Obviously the NDP was a big advocate for a national school food program as well. We worked seamlessly at times to further—”
“In my speech, I talked about the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, a tax cut for 22 million Canadians on income tax, waiving the GST on new home purchases, cancelling the federal consumer carbon tax, making the national school food program permanent, introducing automatic federal tax filings and benefits, lowering the costs and strengthening competition on essentials in Canada, which we did through three rounds of changes to the Competition Act, and the Canada child benefit and dental care. All of these things are addressing the cost of living challenges Canadians are struggling with.”
“Mr. Speaker, I know the member opposite knows that this government is working to make Canadians less reliant on fossil fuels in many ways. We are also supporting Canadians where they are at, which is struggling with affordability challenges and cost of living challenges at home. In their daily lives, they need to fill up at the pump. We are giving them a break right now, just as we introduced many other affordability measures to ease the burden on Canadian families. That is something we have been doing.”
“Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to answer this question. What the Conservatives usually do, as we see in the House, is this kind of “back of the napkin” math. They did not really look at exactly how much revenue is going to be generated through additional taxes, in this particular case. They are forecasting a lot more that they think is going to come in but that has not come in yet. They are not able to predict the global energy markets. They do not know that the federal government is going to have the amount of money they are projecting. In fact, we are doing exactly what we should be doing, which is offering a 10¢-per-litre break at the pump on gasoline for Canadians, using the $2.3 billion of collected tax revenue to offer direct support for Canadian families.”
“The bottom line is to support Canadians through the current global energy market disruptions. Our government is delivering timely, meaningful and tangible relief for Canadians at a time when they need it most. We are doing so across a wide range of fronts and many categories of the household budget. Our announcement today that we are suspending the federal excise tax on gasoline and diesel is just the last of many concrete steps that we are taking to support Canadians through these challenging periods and positioning them for long-term success by building the strongest economy in the G7.”
“That allows young Canadian families to enter the housing market, making the goal of home ownership a reality for young families. That $50,000 is not an insignificant support, and that is in addition to reducing mortgage insurance, allowing tax-free savings accounts for young families to save for the purchase of their first home and a whole package of other measures that are focused on increasing the housing supply in Canada. We also moved forward recently with taking action on putting a cap on insufficient funds fees, making banking more fair for average consumers across Canada. Those fees are relatively small, but capping them to $10 is a significant improvement that will save some of our most vulnerable people in Canada a considerable amount of money.”
“We recognize that many young Canadians are struggling to purchase their first home, and that is a travesty, absolutely. We need to make sure we are building more affordable housing supply, but we have also made it easier by putting measures in place to help young Canadians buy their first home. We moved forward with the first-time homebuyers rebate. With this rebate, we have effectively eliminated GST for first-time homebuyers on new homes up to $1 million and reduced the GST for first-time homebuyers on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million. That tax cut, in addition to the others I have mentioned, saves families a lot of money on the purchase of their first home, up to $50,000 on their first home under $1 million.”
“I had the opportunity, before my political career, to serve on the board of Food Secure Canada, which is an organization that works on food insecurity. A national school food program was its top ask of the federal government for many years. It is something I have advocated for regularly over the course of my time in Parliament. It is great to see that program get a federal investment of $200 million per year, matching the amounts that provinces and territories put in and ensuring that we get to feed 400,000 more kids who otherwise would not have food. It is appalling to me that the Conservatives did not support this program. That they mocked it and would not stand up for hungry children is just a sham. I also want to mention that we have worked on affordability issues in the housing market.”
“This rate reduction applies to taxable income of up to $58,523 in 2026, providing meaningful relief to middle-class Canadians during the current period of economic uncertainty. This is coupled with a number of other affordability measures that our government has moved forward on, one of which I am very proud of, and that is funding the national school food program to feed 400,000 more kids per year and ensuring that it continues in perpetuity by making that program permanent. We will continue to save families with two children $800 on their grocery bill over the course of a year. That is not insignificant. Members opposite mock this program. They have called it garbage and said a whole bunch of negative things to throw shade on the national school food program.”
“A single person will receive up to $950 this year and about $700 a year for the next four years. That is literally making life more affordable for millions and millions of Canadians. In fact, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit will provide additional support for more than 12 million Canadians. (1310) We are not only putting more money in the pockets of those who need it most, but also leaving more money in their pockets with our middle-class tax cut. We have lowered the first marginal personal income tax rate by 1%, from 15% to 14%, since July 1, 2025. That impacts 22 million Canadians. It saves the average person $420 a year and two-income families $840 a year.”
“At the same time, our government understands that Canadians do not spend money just on gas, which is why we have been taking action to reduce other pressures on their household costs right across the board, including, for example, a recent announcement we made introducing the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which builds on the former GST credit. We are increasing its amount by 25% for five years as of July 2026. In addition to that, we are providing a one-time payment, as early as possible this spring, equivalent to a 50% increase in the year 2025-26. That is a significant increase to the annual value of what was known as the GST credit. Combined, this means families of four will receive up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 for the next four years.”
“This builds on one of the very first actions we took as a government, which we have talked about numerous times in the House. We lowered costs at the pump in most provinces and territories. Members opposite will remember their pleas to cancel the consumer fuel charge, and we did so with great ease. Canadians will save money on the price at the pump in provinces and territories. Our government also removed the requirement for provinces and territories to have a consumer-facing carbon price as of April 1, 2025.”
“I am also pleased to say that we are taking further action to help Canadians manage these challenges, as announced earlier today by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance . The Prime Minister made it very clear that Canada's government will use the improvement in the fiscal outlook associated with higher oil prices to provide targeted relief to households and businesses. Specifically, we are reducing pressure on fuel prices at the pump by suspending the application of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel, effective next week and lasting until Labour Day, September 7, delivering over $2.3 billion in relief. This temporary suspension of excise taxes for gasoline and diesel is expected to save the average Canadian filling up a 50-litre tank of fuel $5.75 on regular gasoline and up to $2.30 on diesel.”
“I appreciate the opportunity to participate in today's debate and to highlight the many announcements that our government is making to address the affordability challenges that we know Canadians are struggling with. It is clear that the current impact of military conflicts on global refinery capacity and fuel transport systems means Canadians and consumers around the world are facing higher prices at the pump, which is creating uncertainty and pressure on household finances. This is exacerbated by a number of crises that have happened over the last few years that we all, I am sure, would like to forget, and that have shocked our economy and made it challenging for families. We all acknowledge that.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is great to be here this afternoon. I will be sharing my time with my hon. colleague from Kingston and the Islands . I am thankful for the opportunity to warm up the crowd before he knocks it out of the park. I will start my remarks by thanking the people of Terrebonne, the people of Scarborough Southwest and the people of University–Rosedale for electing three strong, powerful women, Liberal candidates, to the House. I look forward to welcoming those members to the House and seeing our Prime Minister and the leader of the official opposition drag those members into Parliament to take their seats in the people's House. It is a great day in Parliament for Liberals as we note that the public has shown confidence once again in our leader.”
“Most important, the project gives people time, stability and the support they need to rebuild their life. This is what standing up for Canada really looks like.”
“Mr. Speaker, I could not be more proud to support our region, town and community partners in compassionately and effectively addressing homelessness in our community. The site at 1635 Dundas Street East is a lifeline in Whitby, a place where people facing some of their hardest moments can find safety, care and dignity. Our new government is backing that critical work with a $40-million investment, turning the site into supportive and transitional housing. With 104 new beds, on-site health care and recovery supports, this facility offers more than just a place to lay one's head. This is what real solutions look like: fewer people sleeping outside, fewer emergencies and public safety concerns on our streets, and frontline workers connecting people to care faster, preventing crisis before it happens.”
“Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge that oil price shocks due to the war in the Middle East are rippling across the world and increasing the cost of living pressures on Canadians here at home. That is why we recently worked with our international partners to release hundreds of millions of barrels of Canadian oil as part of an effort to provide stability for businesses and consumers. We cannot unblock the Strait of Hormuz, but we can control what we do here at home. We have cut taxes for 22 million Canadians, offered a groceries and essentials benefit and offered a national school food program. That saves families hundreds and thousands of dollars per month.”
“Mr. Speaker, we know nostalgia is not a strategy. We cannot go back to 1965, to a tariff-free auto pact. What has Unifor said about the Conservatives' so-called plan? It said this plan cannot achieve its intended objectives, it is mathematically incorrect, and it may prevent potential future growth in our automotive industry. Unlike them, we actually sit down with the workers and the unions and consult them on the plans and strategies that we lead and move forward on implementing. We have offered liquidity support and financing for them to pivot, adjusted the availability standard for EVs, and much more.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have good news for the hon. member. Just yesterday, our Bill C-4 on affordability measures got royal assent in our Senate, which is fantastic news. That means 22 million Canadians will receive a tax cut on their income tax, saving $840 for dual-income families. Families that are trying to purchase their first home will save up to $50,000 on homes under $1 million. That is good news for Canadians all across this country. We have also moved forward with the groceries and essentials benefit, which will save families just under $1,900 this year. That is—”
“Mr. Speaker, do the Conservatives live under a rock? We are in a trade war. We have a war raging in the Middle East. Those are not of our choosing. Those global issues and forces, just to explain causality, are not the fault of the federal government. There are factors in the world that are affecting the Canadian economy. We are moving through a period of unprecedented economic turbulence. Canadians do not want politicians to stand up in this House and celebrate job losses for political gain. They want a serious government doing serious work to help them get ahead, and that is what we are doing.”
“Mr. Speaker, we will never adopt the Conservative plan because the Conservatives do not have a plan. They do not propose anything that works on behalf of Canadians or that will deliver results for them. Our plan is the plan that we are following. That is the plan that Canadians voted for. That is the plan that is working to create jobs for Canadians. Yes, there are choppy waters. We are in a trade war that was not of our choosing, but we are using every lever at our disposal to ensure that Canadians can get ahead. We have offered affordability measures and are signing tens of billions of dollars of new trade agreements to create opportunities for all Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians all across the country know that we were thrust into a trade war not of our choosing. Our government is doing everything in its power and using every lever at our disposal to support the Canadian economy and insulate it from further shocks that are, again, beyond our control. What we are doing is diversifying trade. While the Leader of the Opposition was trotting around London, giving speeches on free markets, trying to impress Liz Truss, the Prime Minister was signing tens of billions of dollars in new trade deals to create more opportunities for Canadians.”
“I know that many of the members opposite actually secretly, in defiance of their leader , advocated for that program to continue, and there was quite the shake-up in the Conservative Party. Why? It is because they know that program works. Their leader just does not like it or want to admit it.”