Leslie Church
Toronto—St. Paul's, Ontario · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, what did 13 provincial premiers and territorial premiers agree to this week? They agreed to a permanent doubling of the national school food program that will be brought into 10,000 schools across the country. Thirteen provinces and territories agreed, but this opposition cannot get on board to feed kids in our schools.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is quite the opposite. We have worked hand in hand with organizations to ensure that these changes to this program are welcomed. We know that this program delivers important services for seniors in every single riding of every member in this House. That is something that we are going to continue.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are incredibly proud of this program. Last year alone, it supported over 2,600 projects right across Canada, helping seniors stay active and engaged and fight isolation. This year, we are increasing the value of the grants and we are making some changes to strengthen the integrity of the program.”
“Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) and subsection 39(3) of the Accessible Canada Act, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the annual report of the Accessibility Commissioner of Canada for the 2025-26 fiscal year.”
“Madam Speaker, this is a government that is hard at work for all Canadians. We have a plan to build Canada strong, and on days like today we are seeing real progress with 88,000 net new jobs. The largest increase in those jobs is in construction. Youth unemployment fell by nearly a point.”
“The government knows that young Canadians deserve more opportunities. By keeping debt under control and investing in growth, we are protecting their future. The 2026 spring economic update shows a government that is meeting today's challenges while protecting tomorrow's prosperity.”
The complete record
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“Madam Speaker, as the member knows, this system administers our main benefit programs, namely OAS, EI and the CPP. The first phase of the project is proceeding as planned. The project's other phases are still to come. This is a necessary and ongoing project.”
“Madam Speaker, we have been very open and clear about this project. I will be clear. [ English ] On a total budget of $4.8 billion, $1.8 billion has been invested. In fact, the modernization of old age security was delivered under budget. Of the $674 million allocated for this phase, only $633 million was required, reflecting strong project oversight and effective cost management. As the project evolves, so does the budget, reflecting the scale and complexity of modernizing a 60‑year‑old, obsolete system. This has been transparently communicated—”
“Madam Speaker, fighting for Canadians means delivering a responsible economic plan, which is exactly what we did on Tuesday by delivering a copy to every member in the House. Canada has the strongest fiscal position in the G7. We have the lowest debt burden. We have the second-strongest GDP growth right now. We have the highest labour force participation in the G7. We have the highest per capita investment in the G7, more than double what is happening in the United States. Why does this matter for Canadian families? When we grow our economy, we create prosperity and we create jobs that are going to support Canadians now and into the—”
“Madam Speaker, let us take a look at the record of those across the aisle and of all the programs that the Conservatives continue to vote against. They are voting against a national school food program. They are voting against dental care for Canadians. They are voting against the groceries and essentials benefit that, in five weeks' time, on June 5, is going to be putting dollars into the pockets of families right across Canada. These Conservatives vote against affordable child care. They vote against the Canada child benefit. If the member wants to stand up to talk about making life more affordable for Canadians, she should come over here, get on board and vote for the programs that are supporting Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would just like to make sure the member opposite knows that our temporary foreign worker program use is down 50% in 2025 and makes up less than 1% of our workforce. In terms of ensuring that our EI program tackles the needs of all communities across the country, that is something that our government remains committed to, especially at a time when our EI program is so essential to Canadian workers right across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is more than a bit rich to hear the member opposite talk about kids going hungry when that party will not vote in favour of a national school food program to save their lives. We are the last country in the G7 to have a permanent national school food program, which will help nearly half a million kids in this country not go to school hungry. If the member is truly concerned about the plight of kids in our country being hungry, why will he not make sure that they have a healthy meal when they go to school in the morning?”
“Mr. Speaker, we understand that Canadians have had a tough go of it, and that is one of the reasons why, over the past year, our new government has been absolutely focused on bringing down the cost of living for Canadians. They are going to feel that this Monday when they see prices drop at the gas pumps because we are removing the federal excise tax on fuel. That is a big deal. We also know that Canadians are looking forward to the new groceries and essentials benefit that we are providing. That benefit is going to help families with over $1,800 this spring. This is a complex challenge but—”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians are going to get a real break on Monday, when they see the prices drop at the gas pump by 10¢ a litre with the federal excise tax on fuel coming off. It is not just about families. For the member opposite, let me also remind him that by removing this excise tax we are also helping businesses. We are helping businesses in food production, in agriculture, in construction and in transport. Those businesses now can confidently hire. They can confidently build. That helps Canadians too.”
“Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite should know, the combined effect of what the Liberals have done is that we have actually saved Canadians 28¢ at the pump when we cancelled the carbon tax and now, as of Monday, with an additional 10¢ that we are taking off because of the removal of the federal excise tax. Being in government gives us the privilege and the honour of serving Canadians to make a real difference in their lives. These are real policies that are going to hit Canadians' wallets at a time when we know they are concerned about affordability.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is talking about what is false. Let me tell her what is true. This Monday, a federal break on the excise tax on fuel comes into effect, which is going to save Canadians 10¢ at the pump. That is true. That is on Monday. Canadians are going to feel that when they pull into the gas station. The Conservatives can stand up and they can rail against the programs that we are legitimately putting in place to help Canadians, but they stand up in opposition to them every single time.”
“Mr. Speaker, since our government took office, we have been squarely focused on the issues that my colleague opposite raises. In fact, members can start to see the proof in the pudding here. Wages for Canadians right now are up 4.7% in the past year, while inflation is at about 1.8%. That is making a difference in the affordability in the lives of Canadians. Right now, at this time of year, Canadians are focused on tax season, and they are focused on affordability. That is why we have cut taxes for 22 million Canadians and introduced a groceries benefit that is going to help a lot of the seniors in that member's riding when it comes into effect this spring.”
“These are the folks who build careers, train apprentices, strengthen communities and support families across the country. Working together and standing on the shoulders of generations of carpenters before them, we will ensure that Canada is strong, united and ready to build.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to recognize the leadership of the Carpenters' Regional Council, Tom Cardinal and the entire leadership team here in Ottawa today, who proudly represent more than 60,000 members across the country. Canada is a nation of builders, and carpenters are at the heart of that story. My own grandfather Malcolm MacLeod was a proud member of Carpenters' Regional Council Local 1325 in Edmonton. I remember growing up with the smell of fresh sawdust and running along the 2 x 4s as a project came together. Our government is building Canada strong, from community projects and new homes to the defining nation-building projects of our time. None of this happens without the men and women who show up every day, tools in hand, with their expertise.”
“Tomorrow and in the days to come, I hope Canadians take 90 minutes, give or take, to find a film, gather with others and celebrate the stories, the artists, the directors and the visionaries who bring us together.”
“Mr. Speaker, this Wednesday, April 15, Canadians across the country will come together for National Canadian Film Day, a celebration of who we are and the stories we tell about ourselves. From classrooms to community centres, from libraries to living rooms, people will gather to watch Canadian films sitting side by side. More than 2,000 free screenings will take place across the country with over 200 films and millions more tuning in from home for stories that reflect our communities, stories that challenge us and stories that remind us who we are and what we share. I am especially proud of Sharon Corder and Jack Blum from Toronto—St. Paul's who co-founded Reel Canada, the organization behind National Canadian Film Day. Their vision has grown into something truly special: a celebration of Canada right across the country and the globe.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have respect for my colleague opposite, but I would remind him that TFWs are less than 1% of the workforce and that temporary foreign workers use is down by 70% in Canada. In fact, this is a government that stands behind youth. We are creating jobs for youth. One of the things we are doing right now is investing in our union, training and innovation programs, supporting 1,800 trades jobs in the B.C. construction industry, 350 new Red Seal bricklayers at the Ontario Masonry Training Centre and 2,000 sheet metal apprentices and journeypersons through Canada's Building Trades Unions. These are the kinds of serious actions that we are taking as part of our plan to get youth working.”
“Mr. Speaker, what we are hearing from that side of the House, what we are hearing heckled today, is that the programs we have been putting in place to help Canadians and Canadian families are glorified food stamps, that these are ideological, radical programs. In fact, they are actually designed to help Canadians. We have boosted them, whether it is our groceries and essentials benefit, which Canadians are going to be feeling here just this spring; making our national school food program permanent; or expanding our dental care program. When I talk to people in my riding, they talk about how these programs are making a difference in people's lives, but the Conservatives keep voting against them.”
“That is $1.8 billion as of this past December. This transformation is being undertaken in a responsible, transparent manner, with concern for all those involved. So far, 7.7 million seniors have received their benefits on time and accurately. We are making progress with those who have had issues. Many of them are in paper form. We are correcting those errors. We are working with them. We trust that this is going to be a system that is suitable for the next generation of Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, let me address the member opposite's concerns, particularly about costs. He was looking for answers. He may not like them, but here they are. The fact of the matter is that spending on the project has not surged. The recently completed move of old age security onto the Cúram platform was delivered as planned and under budget. Let me say that again: It was delivered as planned and under budget. Specifically, the completed OAS project cost $633 million, below the initial estimated $674-million project cost from 2023. What has increased is the estimate of the total cost to complete this once-in-a-generation transformation. What we are talking about is the full transformation of benefits for all of OAS, employment insurance and CPP, including modernizing all of ESDC's call centres. It is not the amount spent.”
“To date, the new Cúram system has made close to 90 million payments to more than 7.7 million clients, distributing nearly $85 billion in benefits accurately and on time. Managing EI benefits is the next step. The first stage occurred in November 2025, and all EI benefits will be transitioned to the new platform by 2028. The BDM project is a major project and necessary, and it is helping us reimagine the way services get delivered to Canadians.”
“It is a proven product that comes equipped with built-in functions that other generic platforms would have to custom build and test, which would have increased the time, cost and risk to deliver. As of 2023, Cúram has been successfully implemented by 970 government social programs across 12 countries, serving 187 million clients worldwide. Before choosing Cúram, the BDM program studied its deployments in other jurisdictions and examined the past experiences of these deployments to design a solution tailored to the federal context, not to replicate an existing model. Our number one priority is maintaining the delivery of benefits with no interruptions, so we are making this transformation carefully and in phases. Everything is fully tested before release.”
“Over time, the estimates have become more refined as we better understood the complexity of unravelling decades-old systems, the challenge of protecting against modern security threats and the impact of unanticipated global inflation across markets and supply chains. Despite this, over the life of the program, total benefits to Canadians will amount to more than $1.6 trillion, while funding expended on the BDM platform is less than 1% of the total payout of these programs. To operate the core technology, ESDC selected the Cúram social program management platform. Cúram has been chosen because it is a platform designed specifically for managing large and complex social programs.”
“To guard against this problem, ESDC has spent more than $1 billion in maintenance over the last 10 years. The older and more obsolete these systems get, the more costly it becomes to run them and the more fragile they become. It is simply not sustainable. This undertaking currently is massive and requires significant investments. Between 2017 and 2025, the BDM project has cost $1.8 billion. The program will bring together old age security, employment insurance and Canada pension plan payments onto the BDM platform, in a phased and prudent manner, by 2030. It will also bolster cybersecurity and bring together a number of call centres onto a single, modernized, accessible platform by October 2027. As with any technology project of this scale, many of the costs that needed to be considered could not be fully known at the start.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue for his question. I also want to thank him for attending the technical briefing recently held for members of Parliament. [ English ] This debate gives us yet another opportunity to share with Canadians our commitment to ensuring that they may continue to receive the critical federal benefits to which they are entitled. We have been investing in benefits delivery modernization because Canadians deserve functional and responsive services that are dependable and modern. Any interruption to old age security, employment insurance or the Canada pension plan could significantly affect recipients' abilities to meet their daily needs, such as buying food, paying rent and just getting by.”
“It is the reason Canadians have given the mandate they have given to the Prime Minister to transform the Canadian economy, to diversify our trade, to build major projects and to grow our economy and our industries, so that we are as strong, resilient and sovereign at home as we can be.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I am a bit confounded by this particular line of argument from both of the members opposite this evening, somehow comparing Canada to European countries in particular, and to Japan, in terms of just comparing the level of integration that we have as a Canadian economy with the United States and calling it comparable to that of European members of the G7. I think the members opposite should stand up and face facts and talk about the trade war that we have been in for the past year with a little more precision and clarity about the impact that has had on our economy.”
“These are measures that go hand in hand with making life more affordable for Canadians right across the country and with growing our economy.”
“This will ultimately help lower food prices for Canadians. At a time when global supply chain disruptions are driving up prices, the government is lending Canadians a hand. I appreciate many of my colleague's examples, but I would also point him to the fact that in his home province of Saskatchewan, parents are now paying $10-a-day child care, saving close to $7,000 per child per year through early learning and child care. Saskatchewan has received close to $60 million in federal funding to expand access to school food programs, helping more kids in more schools access nutritious meals, saving families up to $800 a year. In 2025, we have committed close to $20 million through the national housing strategy to support housing initiatives in Saskatchewan.”
“For a couple with two children, the amount will increase from approximately $1,086 annually to $1,890. These amounts will increase each year in line with the rising cost of living. We are not stopping there. Last September, we launched a new strategic response fund to help sectors impacted by tariffs. We are committing up to $500 million from this fund to help businesses address the costs of supply chain disruptions without passing those costs on to Canadians at the checkout line. We will provide another $150 million under the regional tariff response initiative, specifically to help the small and medium-sized businesses that my colleague opposite was speaking about in the food sector, and we will allow growers to fully write off the cost of new greenhouses immediately to free up the capital they need to expand production.”
“This benefit will help more than 12 million low- and modest-income Canadians to afford day-to-day essentials. It builds on the existing GST credit but will be more generous. First, we will be providing a one-time payment equivalent to a 50% increase in the value of the GST credit this spring, and then we will increase the benefit by 25% for five years, starting this July. The difference will be considerable for Canadians struggling with putting food on the table. Before this new benefit, a person living alone who is eligible for the GST credit would have received a maximum of $543. That same person now will get approximately $950 in total this year from the 50% one-time payment and the 25% increase thereafter, thanks to the changes that we have announced.”
“Mr. Speaker, the government's priority is reducing pressures on costs and creating new opportunities for Canadians. I would note to my colleague that, as mentioned in the previous response, Canada right now is set to have the second-fastest growth in the G7. Foreign direct investment into the Canadian economy is at an 18-year high. These are proof points that the serious economic plan that we have put forward for Canadians is working. It is under way, and it is taking effect. This includes supporting Canadians with the cost of groceries and everyday essentials, which have stretched many Canadians' wallets. This past January, the Prime Minister announced the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which will become available this spring.”
“We have also earmarked more than $300 million for our youth employment and skills strategy program. These are programs that work. They give youth that first foot on the ladder into the workforce. They are important to continue and important to grow, and that is exactly what we are doing.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to correct my colleague across the way. I said no such thing. I take these concerns very seriously, as does our government: investing in jobs and investing in the growth that is going to propel new jobs in this country in the years to come, to bring in foreign direct investment, to diversify our trade, to build major projects, to invest in housing and to make life more affordable. These are all ingredients in a serious economic plan working for the people of Canada. I also want to tackle what my colleague has raised about youth. I want to share the example of the Canada summer jobs program. Budget 2025 committed nearly $600 million over two years to support job opportunities for youth, including 100,000 jobs this upcoming summer for Canadian youth.”
“At the same time, we are going to continue with investments into our sectoral workforce innovation fund, into apprenticeships, into trades and into improving education across the country with other investments that we have made to support student financial aid. This is part of our economic plan for jobs—”
“As we laid out in our budget, our government is increasing its investments in Canadian workers with an additional $570 million over three years in targeted funding through these LMAs to support workers affected by these serious trade disruptions, including $70 million to support up to 10,000 workers in the steel industry with training and employment supports; $50 million for upskilling, re-skilling and employment supports for over 6,000 workers in the softwood lumber industry; and $450 million for a re-skilling package to retrain up to 50,000 workers affected by tariffs and global market shifts. Through these investments, affected Canadian workers will gain the necessary skills to find new jobs and be more productive in existing jobs.”
“Each year, these agreements reach around 800,000 Canadians, providing employment services, skills development and training. All of this is supported by a $2.9-billion federal investment annually, demonstrating the scale and importance of this work to Canada's labour market. However, more is needed to help Canadian workers who are affected by U.S. tariffs and global market shifts.”
“These are measures that will not only help workers and their families thrive, but help Canada build the strongest economy in the G7. It is no secret that these tariffs have hit our economy hard, and we know that some regions and sectors are facing significant labour market pressures. Steel and softwood lumber are two of the hardest-hit, so we need to work together as a country to meet many of these pressures head-on. Labour market agreements are, quite simply, the most responsive tools we have to help workers move into new jobs and seize new opportunities. Through these agreements, provinces and territories deliver flexible, locally tailored training and employment supports, ensuring that services meet the unique needs of the labour markets.”
“In fact, FDI in Canada has been at its highest level in 18 years. The Economist ranked Canada number two in the G20 for doing business over the next five years. I point these out because they are evidence of a serious plan, a tough plan, a plan that is making serious changes and bringing the Canadian economy and our workforce through a period of great transition that we did not ask for, but we are going to win. I want to assure my colleague across the way that the plan we put forward in budget 2025, which is effectively our economic and jobs plan as a government, is heavily invested in providing employment support, skills training and federal, provincial and territorial partnerships that are going to help create jobs and prosperity across Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would note that in the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan's nearly four-minute opener, we barely heard about the impact of the trade war on Canada's economic situation. In fact, what we heard was a fair amount of heavy sarcasm about the state of challenge that has been placed on Canada and on Canadians in the past 14 months as a result of a very serious trade war that continues to change and shift our industries and our workforces in ways that I think no one would have predicted a year or a year and a half ago. I want to assure him of some of the things that I think we should be thinking about in terms of where we sit in our Canadian economy right now. Canada is poised to have the second-fastest growth in the G7. We have been rated as number two in the world for confidence in foreign direct investment.”
“Mr. Speaker, enough rhetoric from that side of the House. This is a government that is supporting Canadians right across the country. We have delivered on the groceries benefit, which in my riding is going to help over 30,000 of my constituents. I expect something similar in that member's riding as well. That benefit is going to help deliver close to $1,900 this year for a family of four. It is the part of our plan that is making an actual difference in the lives of Canadians. When are these Conservatives going to get on board and back us up?”
“The government is going to continue to use every tool available to protect Canadians and to ensure that those linked to human rights abuses and terrorism are held accountable.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada screens those entering the country for potential criminal activity and links to terrorist groups. We have designated the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist entities. That has made senior Iranian officials inadmissible to Canada. Since November 2022, the IRCC has cancelled 234 visas for individuals who are inadmissible because of the Iranian regime designation. This number does not include applicants whose visa applications were refused from the outset. The CBSA is going to continue to increase removals and has committed to hiring 1,000 additional CBSA officers to strengthen the agency's capacity and help protect the safety of Canadians.”
“However, by operation of law, certain proceedings before the immigration division must be held in private. This includes hearings where the person concerned has made a refugee claim. In order to protect the safety and security of individuals in all other matters, the hearings are held in public. Even in private matters, it is always open to the media to make a request that the hearing be public. These requests are decided on a case-by-case basis, balancing the public interest in openness against other important considerations, such as the safety and security—”
“Since November 2022, IRCC has cancelled 234 visas for individuals who are inadmissible because of the Iranian regime designation. This number does not include applicants whose visa applications were refused from the outset on the same grounds. Removals by CBSA officers have increased over the last two years, and similar results are expected in 2026. The government has also committed to hiring 1,000 additional CBSA officers to strengthen the agency's capacity and help protect the safety of Canadians. I also want to address the question raised about the Immigration and Refugee Board. The IRB is an independent tribunal. It adjudicates admissibility allegations brought forward by the CBSA, which has the burden of demonstrating the individual is inadmissible on security or other grounds. Removal hearings are generally public.”
“Everyone who needs a visa to travel to Canada must apply in advance. Applicants provide personal information and biometrics, including fingerprints, which are checked against Canadian and international databases to verify identity and assess potential security risks. Immigration screening is a joint effort involving Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the CBSA and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Cases that raise concerns may be referred for in-depth security screening before a visa is ever issued. Individuals determined to be inadmissible may have their visa refused, lose their temporary or permanent resident status in Canada, and be subject to enforcement action, including removal. These cases can be complex and must be handled in accordance with Canadian law and due process.”
“Canada has also listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity. This designation rendered tens of thousands of senior Iranian officials permanently inadmissible to Canada, including heads of state, intelligence operatives, diplomats, judges and senior members of the guard. In September 2024, Canada strengthened this measure by extending the start date of the designation back to June 23, 2003. That is the date Iranian Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi was arbitrarily detained, tortured and died in custody. Her case shocked Canadians and highlighted the regime's systemic human rights abuses. As a result, anyone who has served as a senior official of the Iranian regime since that date is inadmissible to Canada. Canada's immigration system includes rigorous screening both before and after arrival.”
“Mr. Speaker, with respect to Bill C-12 , the government is always interested in ensuring that legislation passed in the House moves quickly through here and the other place. I am going to take a moment to address the question that I think prompted this evening's late show. I want to take a moment to address Canada's actions with respect to the officials of the Iranian regime and the integrity of our immigration system. The government is unwavering in its commitment to hold this regime to account while protecting the safety and security of Canadians. Canada has taken some of the strongest measures in the world against the regime. On November 14, 2022, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, Canada designated the Islamic Republic of Iran as a regime that has engaged in terrorism and systemic breaches of human rights.”
“Mr. Speaker, the last week has been supremely difficult with the shootings that we have seen at synagogues in our beautiful city. It is imperative that we pass this bill with speed. We often talk about how the hate around us, the hate we see online and the hate we see on our streets normalizes hate for everyone. It empowers people who want to incite and spew hate. Part of Bill C-9 is saying to all Canadians, “This is where we draw the line. This behaviour is not acceptable, and we are going to empower our law enforcement with the tools to be able to do something about it.” That is the core idea that we are trying to address with this bill and why I believe this is one of the most important commitments we are making to communities of different faiths, cultural backgrounds and sexual orientations right across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, getting back to the purposes of this bill is important because it is about creating and protecting freedom of religion and the freedoms of conscience and expression for all Canadians. No Canadian should have their rights stepped on and impeded when they are faced and confronted in their day-to-day lives in places where they gather by the types of hate and violent and intimidating acts that we have now, unfortunately, over two years of experience, seen on our streets. That is what this bill seeks to address. That is what we are fighting for here and what we intend to deliver for Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, this bill actually does make very material changes to the Criminal Code. It establishes a new stand-alone hate offence. It creates a new offence around obstruction of places that communities gather. It creates a new offence around intimidation outside of places where communities gather. What is most important about this is that all Canadians are seeking public safety and community safety in their neighbourhoods, so much so that police associations have asked us for this clarity in law. It never ceases to surprise me how the members opposite, who pretend to be strong on crime, cannot get behind a bill that actually provides law enforcement with the tools that they are asking for to be able to properly police, enforce and hold accountable the people who break the laws in our neighbourhoods.”