Carlos Leitão
Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, Quebec · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, this government's record is that it has created a very resilient economy. Despite headwinds from the south, our economy continues to grow. In fact, last week I encouraged my opposition colleagues to check out the C.D. Howe Institute's Business Cycle Council. I would again encourage them to do so. They should read its report.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are going to keep going. Canadians know that, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, 5,000 small businesses closed their doors. Canadians know that the Canadian economy is under pressure from the United States. No, that is not an excuse. I heard my colleagues say that the international context is an excuse.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that in May, we created 88,000 jobs. Canadians know that in May, there were 154,000 full-time jobs. Canadians know that 27,000 of these jobs were in the construction sector. Canadians know that the trade surplus grew in April and May.”
“Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time. It is my turn to speak to Bill C-30 , which seeks to implement the economic update. I want to address several issues, but, first, I want to talk about why we are doing things a bit differently here today.”
“It concerns the April 28 economic update, which contains a number of very useful and very important measures for our economy. I suspect I may run out of time, but before I talk about those measures, I want to address a few problems that have been mentioned today in the conversations and in the debates that we have had here so far.”
“(1900) We are making this commitment because the world is a different place now. Today, our situation is very delicate. Our biggest trade and economic partner is also our neighbour: the United States. It is a partner that has very plainly and clearly told us that it does not need what Canada has to offer.”
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“Mr. Speaker, we had an election in April, and this motion was a main component of the electoral platform of the Conservative Party. The people spoke, and the Conservatives were not elected. “Three strikes and you're out” was first tried in the United States, in California, some years ago, which has now come to the conclusion that it does not work. Therefore, why would it work in Canada?”
“Mr. Speaker, I would remind the House that these tariffs were imposed by the United States. These are U.S. tariffs that have been put on our products. Our government will be there to help workers and businesses get through this difficult period. We need everyone's co-operation to get through this crisis.”
“Mr. Speaker, that is another good question. Indeed, it was not an obsession. It is an obligation. However, these things take time. Balancing a budget cannot and should not happen overnight. We are not going to do that in the midst of an economic crisis or trade war. We will take the time to get it right.”
“Mr. Speaker, the riding I represent is about 70% francophone, and in my door-to-door activities during the campaign, a lot of people told me they would not usually vote Liberal but would this time because we needed someone like the Prime Minister to lead us through this period of incredible uncertainty. That is what they did, and that is why I am here. I am very happy to be here.”
“Mr. Speaker, my opinion has not changed in the slightest. A cap-and-trade system is a very good system. Quebec chose that. At the time, we were able to convince our neighbours in Ontario to participate as well. It is, therefore, an excellent system. What we have now, with industrial carbon pricing, is very similar to that system.”
“Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. I completely agree with the approach being taken now, which will come as no surprise. The context is completely different. We are in the midst of a trade war with the United States. We need to present a carefully considered budget and take the time to implement the necessary measures. We are taking the right approach.”
“We live in a confederation, where there is a fairly elaborate system of federal revenue transfers. That is what we have done. I think that it has been done very well and that, no, Quebec has not been punished or cheated.”
“Let us be serious: What kind of banana republic would we end up in? That is not something that is done, especially since the Bank of Canada was one of the first to successfully control inflation. We are now back within the 2% range, and the inflation peak of a few years ago is behind us. It is always important to avoid confusing inflation with the cost of living, because they are not quite the same thing. Past price increases are still there, but inflation is now well under control. The Governor of the Bank of Canada is fortunately still in office, because he has been one of the most successful members of this fraternity of central bank governors. Let us return to the Bloc Québécois motion. Our colleagues said that Quebec has been punished and robbed. Those are very harsh words that I find difficult to follow and understand.”
“That is what triggered inflation in Canada, the United States, Europe, Japan, Mexico and everywhere else. It was not Liberal policy, for crying out loud; it was a global phenomenon that was then exacerbated. Perhaps our colleagues have also heard about the war in Ukraine? It set off an oil crisis and disrupted Russian oil exports, which rapidly drove up energy prices as well as grain prices, because shipments were down. Ukraine was a very large grain producer. All of these factors caused global inflation. That was where we were in 2023 and 2024. The central banks reacted appropriately. The Bank of Canada did what it had to do. I would remind you that our colleagues across the floor were saying at the time that if they came to power, they would fire the Governor of the Bank of Canada.”
“I would like to raise another point before returning to the main thrust of the Bloc Québécois motion. It has also been mentioned today and in recent weeks, if not before, that the carbon tax has caused inflation in Canada. No, that is not how it works. (1730) Let us talk about inflation. Perhaps our colleagues have heard about the pandemic and how it completely disrupted mechanisms, supply chains and international trade? Every OECD country and every developed country had to quickly and abruptly shut down its economy in 2020, then gradually reopen it. Then, in 2021‑22, as we were gradually reopening the economy after the pandemic emergency passed, we realized that the pandemic-induced supply chain disruption resulted in very high demand. Unfortunately, supply could not keep up, which threw the whole system out of whack.”
“Carbon pricing is an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, because we still need to reduce those emissions. I am always surprised when Conservatives, people who generally believe in market mechanisms to change behaviour, suddenly think that a market mechanism that has an effect on prices is no longer good when it comes to carbon emissions. I am surprised by that. We can bring together the most conservative economists on the planet, and they will all say that a pricing mechanism is the most effective way to change behaviour. That surprises me a bit. We are therefore going to keep carbon pricing on the industrial side, because I think it is useful, especially at this time. The global economy is changing. It is becoming less carbon intensive.”
“This unfortunately helped create a great deal of mistrust toward the government's policy and its use, to the point where we realized that it would be more constructive to scrap carbon pricing for consumers but maintain the industrial carbon tax. I think it is extremely important to maintain it, and that is what we intend to do. My Bloc Québécois colleagues have rightly pointed out that this could hinder Canadian exports. In the current climate of a trade war with the United States, a partner that we thought was very reliable but is no longer, we need to look for new markets. We need to be able to diversify our trade opportunities. If we export manufactured goods to Europe, for example, we could be penalized if we do not have a carbon tax for the industrial sector. The planet is moving forward.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues who have been waiting for my impassioned speech. I will begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with the member for Kings—Hants . We are talking about carbon pricing and the Bloc Québécois motion. I would like to begin by saying that what has been eliminated is carbon pricing at the consumer level. One might wonder why this was done. I think that it was the right thing to do and that it was good policy. Even though it was offset by individual rebates, consumer pricing was rather poorly received by the public. It also resulted in a lot of widely circulated disinformation.”
“Mr. Speaker, on June 10, people around the world celebrate Portugal Day, the day of Portuguese communities. It is a very special time for us to celebrate the soul of our country and the indomitable spirit of the Portuguese people. This celebration means a great deal to me, as a Portuguese immigrant to Canada and a proud member of this House. Canadians of Portuguese descent have enriched this country through their warm traditions and dynamic culture. Let us be proud of the diversity that unites us. [ Member spoke in Portuguese ]”
“Mr. Speaker, there will be a budget. In due time, that will be presented. In fact, it is much more responsible and much more important to take the time to do the budget, rather than rushing. The members opposite seem to suggest that we should have rushed into a budget. Let us take the time. Let us do it well and let us move on from there.”
“Mr. Speaker, when we were going door to door, most of time, people had just one real concern: Which government or which prime minister would be most capable of dealing with the threat from the U.S.? That was the only concern. The people thought about it and came to the conclusion that this Prime Minister was the person most capable of dealing with this threat from the U.S. That is what they voted for, and I think they were right.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am the first to recognize that it is extremely important that the federal and provincial governments be able to agree on how to properly fund social programs. One example is the Canadian dental care plan. This program was implemented fairly quickly and very effectively, and it has yielded good results. As for pharmacare, discussions are still ongoing, as far as I know. If an agreement can be reached, so much the better.”
“Mr. Speaker, the likely recession in the United States will be triggered by totally misguided public policy, 19th-century public policy. The public policy we are following in this country is 21st-century public policy. I am extremely surprised to hear a true Conservative not supporting an industrial carbon price. Conservatives do support industrial market mechanisms for energy prices. I do not understand why they cannot support that.”
“That is still important because the United States still has the world's most dynamic economy and the world's largest economy; therefore it is important for it to try to avoid that. In conclusion, I would just like to offer the same words His Majesty said in the Speech from the Throne: [ Translation ] ...Canada has continued to set an example to the world in her conduct and values, as a force for good. Canadian values are a force for good, a lesson we must all keep passing on.”
“It is quite ironic that the United States now intends to replace that with some hocus-pocus mercantilistic view of the world that does not really exist and is actually quite counterproductive. Second is the unfair, abusive and totally incomprehensible tariffs that the United States' administration is imposing on Canadian exports. These tariffs may or may not remain and may or may not be extended or reinstated, but in the meantime, they create real damage and lead to a freeze in business investment. Job creation and the opening of new factories, all of that, gets delayed by the incomprehensible policy on tariffs. Third, the United States is also rapidly sinking into what I think will become the greatest self-inflicted recession of the past 75 years.”
“First and foremost, immigrants are individuals, human beings, who come here to improve their lives and contribute to the country. To get back to the Speech from the Throne, the world has truly changed enormously in the past three, four or five months. Very briefly, here are three aspects of this change. (1740) [ English ] First of all, there has been a direct attack on the global trading system by the new administration in the United States, and this is hugely ironic because it is that new trading system that has contributed to the growth in global prosperity that small, open economies like Canada, but also an economy like the United States, benefit enormously from.”
“He would have been so proud, because my father and my mother, our family, left Portugal in 1975 so that we, the children—there are five of us—could have a chance at a better life. What could be better than to see his son as a member of the federal Parliament? I would have liked him to see that, it would have been wonderful. However, our history is not unique. Immigration happens that way all the time. Canada is immigration and immigration is Canada. When we immigrants come, we come to actively contribute to developing this country. That is what we did, the Lietao family, just like millions of immigrants when they come to Canada. Naturally, that is not to say that everything is perfect. We have to review and apply our immigration policy carefully, consistently but also and most importantly, with compassion and humanity.”
“Mr. Speaker, I apologize. I would also like to thank the wonderful team of volunteers and supporters who helped us so much during the campaign. Without their efforts, I would not be in the House today. Finally, I want to thank my family. Without their support, I would not be here either, especially since this is the second time I have put them through this. I ran for provincial politics in 2014 and spent eight years in the Quebec National Assembly. I thank Marie-Hélène, André, Valérie and Claire for their support. I really appreciate it. I also have a special word for my father, António Leitao, who would be so proud of his son today. Sadly, he passed away in 2008 after a long illness.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is my turn to rise here for the first time and deliver a speech on the Speech from the Throne. First, I would like to thank the people of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin who sent me here by voting overwhelmingly for the Liberal Party and team Carney. I am committed to representing them to the best of my ability and to representing all citizens of this—”