Kevin Lamoureux
Winnipeg North, Manitoba · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, when we take a look at this particular legislation, or any other piece of legislation or budgetary measures that the government has brought in since the last election, when Canadians elected a new Prime Minister and a new government, we will find that listening to Canadians is the top priority.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want the member to recognize the degree to which the Conservative Party always wants to talk down the economy. It brings me to yesterday, when we found out that the Prime Minister went to the G7 and that 13 new deals were signed off, with countries such as Japan, Italy, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal, fi…”
“Mr. Speaker, since the last election, just over a year ago, when Canadians voted for our current Prime Minister and a new government, we have been listening to the people of Canada. Members will see that listening in every aspect of our legislative agenda and our budgetary measures.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to pick up on my friend's comment that we live in the real world. The real world is looking pretty good in terms of where Canada has been since the last federal election. We have a Prime Minister who has been out and about, attracting literally billions of dollars in commitments of investment.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciated to a certain degree the member's comments when he made reference to the issue of the process. However, I would ask him to realize that, over the years, things have changed considerably. We saw time allocation used during Stephen Harper's government a record number of times.”
“Mr. Speaker, today I am tabling a petition from a number of individuals. Actually, over 1,000 people have signed the petition. The petitioners are looking for a sense, from both the provincial Government of Manitoba and Ottawa, of working together to try to come up with a solution to deal with Manitoba's unique situation related to our wo…”
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“Mr. Speaker, the member is wrong when he makes the assessment that the government does not understand. Of course the government understands. That is why we are providing financial support, whether it is for our forestry industry, our aluminum industry or our steel industry. We can appreciate the tension and anxiety within those ndustries. My question is more in regard to the issue of reserves and Arctic sovereignty, a very high priority. It was not that long ago that the Prime Minister was up north and made a commitment of close to $35 billion in order to invest in the armed forces and protect our sovereignty in the north. Does the Bloc party support the investment for northern Canada in order to substantiate a very strong, sovereign north—”
“Mr. Speaker, I believe that through the whole estimates process, the government has given a great deal of attention to the issues of agriculture and, in particular, taxation. The member made reference to how we could support making things more affordable. Just last Friday, we dealt with the issue of providing the groceries and essentials benefit program, supporting 11 million Canadians. There is more. We could talk about the fuel excise tax. Fuel costs 10¢ less a litre. If the member was fair in his assessment, he would realize that, in many ways, the government is there to support the issue of affordability with regard to agriculture, whether it is canola out west or providing export opportunities—”
“Mr. Speaker, I do not exactly know whether the Conservatives have something against Atlantic Canada or how they justify their positioning on Canada having an opportunity to launch things into space. An hon. member: Shameful. Hon. Kevin Lamoureux: Mr. Speaker, the member says “shameful” from across the way, but let us keep in mind that the Conservatives tend to oppose anything that the government wants to do. We have made a clear commitment to our Canadian Forces and to what will be taking place in the industrial development sector, whether it is in space or for our Canadian Forces, that whole 2%. The Conservatives, no matter what we seem to do, want to be negative and want to shoot it down. Is there any aspect of the government expenditures that he actually approves of, whether it is for the forces or for the space launch centre?”
“I have two quick points, Mr. Speaker. The member gives the impression that it is an issue of foreign investment. Foreign investment today is at a 20-year high. I do not quite understand how he sees that as a decrease. On exports, we are at least 17% higher internationally, outside of the United States, but also exports to the United States are up from last year. Where is the member really drawing his numbers and conclusions from?”
“Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that different regions of the country have different impacts in the community. The government continues to look at all the regions of the country, and we do what we can, such as the national school food program for children, which the member opposite voted against. We also financially support food banks. We are, as a government, a whole lot more compassionate than what we have seen from the Conservatives over the last number of—”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because there is so much truth in what the member said. If we go around and tell the world that Canada's economy is bad, we cannot trust it, everything is broken and so forth, which is what we hear from Conservative member after Conservative member talking negatively about Canada, that ultimately assists the U.S. over Canada. I would cite the member for Bowmanville—Oshawa North , who went down to the United States, and his report, after meeting with President Trump and the Vice-President, was that Canadians are just having a “hissy fit”—”
“Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the member opposite would recognize that the average wage has actually increased more than the inflation rate every month since we had that last federal election. At the end of the day, there are individuals who are having some financial difficulties, and that has always been the case. Obviously, we all want to try to assist where we can, and that is where I would challenge the member opposite. A good program is the national school food program, which was made permanent by this Prime Minister , by this government. There are members of the Conservative Party who have called it garbage and said that it does not exist. It feeds 400,000 young children, yet they oppose it. At times, one begins to question just how much hypocrisy is oozing from the other side.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question very much. If we look at what has been achieved over the last 13 or 14 months since Canadians elected our current Prime Minister , it has been a great deal. Someone brought up the analogy of a marathon runner in terms of how the government, and the Prime Minister in particular, is responding to the Canadian economy and society as a whole, bringing in good legislative measures and financial measures to support Canadians. Canadians are seeing it, and they are encouraging us to continue to move forward. Only the Conservatives seem to be the naysayers.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member is right that sometimes people, and politicians on both sides of the House, will be selective in the stats that they will throw out. Let me give a stat that I believe is important. Since the last federal election, there has been an increase in employment of over 150,000. Members can cherry-pick all they want in between, but at the end of the day, there are 150,000 more jobs since this Prime Minister was elected Prime Minister, and that is given the circumstances of that election. Canada still has a AAA credit rating, and for the first time in generations, we are investing in the Canadian military. We have actually surpassed that 2% of the GDP.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate, but I guess the member is being consistent with the leader of the Conservative Party , who likes to go around Canada and tell Canadians that Canada is broken, that the sky is falling and that it is a massive darkness. A Conservative MP stands up, and we get the opinion that a black cloud is going over Canada. I would contrast Canada, its economy and overall performance, with any other G7 or G20 country. We have more foreign direct investment coming into Canada on a per capita basis, definitely the best in the G20 and G7 and likely the best in the world. The Conservatives just do not want to recognize when there is good news. If we raise the good news, they—”
“It means including provinces and territories, working collaboratively, and together we can, in fact, build Canada strong—”
“Canada is in a great fiscal position to be able to do the things we need to do to support Canadians, such as the groceries and essentials benefit, which is providing support for Canadians. In fact, just last week, 11 million families benefited from that particular program. We reduced the tax on gasoline, the federal excise tax, by suspending it until Labour Day. The issue of affordability is important to this government. I realize I am running out of time. Hopefully, maybe in response to a question, I will be able to provide more details on the environment. However, whenever I talk about economic opportunities, advancements and major projects, I truly believe, as the government does, that sustainable development means the environment, with indigenous people being involved.”
“It is an important quote that I believe really says a lot, since the last national election just over a year ago. The International Monetary Fund, the IMF, is a fund that is, in essence, an organization that over 190 countries contribute to. It carries a great deal of influence around the world. Here is what it had to say about Canada and our approach: that we are “focus[ed] strategically on investment that [is] progrowth”. This organization is projecting that Canada will have the second-strongest growth in the G7 in 2026. When we put it in that perspective and look, from an economic point of view, at what we have been able to accomplish over the last year, it is leading to the types of results we need to see. As was pointed out on a number of occasions, in May alone, 88,000 jobs were created.”
“We have a cabinet and ministers who are providing the lead on this file and the capability to deliver for Canadians. That is what we will do on that particular file, recognizing that we exchange nearly $3.6 billion a day, I believe, between our two great nations. What is encouraging is that trade has actually increased year over year, so it is not fair to say or to imply that there is anything otherwise taking place with respect to international trade beyond Canada and the U.S. or between Canada and the U.S. The Prime Minister and the government are very much aware of how important that trade file is for both nations. We are very much aware of the importance of developing, promoting and materializing those major projects. It is something we are committed to doing. I have a quote I want to share with members.”
“At the same time, we are also looking, in terms of the United States, at ways we can enhance that relationship. There is a great deal of back-and-forth between American and Canadian politicians and the populations of the respective countries. There is a relationship that is exceptionally deep, between Canada and the United States, and we are going to continue to see that relationship well into the future. (1635) At the same time, it is important that we do not capitulate, that Canada stands strong and firm and ultimately achieves the best deal it can under the current administration. Contrary to what we might hear from across the aisle, if it takes time, we are prepared to put in the time. We are prepared to put in the resources.”
“The sovereign wealth fund has the potential to be there in a very real and tangible way for Canadians; it also affords Canadians the opportunity to be part of a wealth fund. I believe that the generation of this fund and having it as a resource in Calgary, where we have the Major Projects Office, can be a fantastic asset. We will be able to work in that collaborative fashion, making sure, where we can, that these major projects get off the ground and that they are sustained and highly successful. We have also seen a significant commitment to investments in Canada over the last year. We are not talking about millions of dollars; we are talking about billions of dollars in commitments. That is of great significance, because we recognize the times. We recognize that we need to think beyond the Canada‑U.S.A. border.”
“The bottom line is that the federal government is demonstrating very clearly how, working collaboratively, we can build a stronger and healthier economy and society that all Canadians will be able to take part in. This is a wonderful opportunity. Political entities at different levels of government and municipalities of all different sizes are coming together and recognizing, based on the last national election, that it is time for collaboration. That is what we are witnessing, and there are tangible results there. We have seen other federal initiatives promoting investment, which is so warranted that we are fighting for it, such as the sovereign wealth fund, better known as the Canada Strong fund.”
“Now we have an implementation agreement, which is even a step further, because the Government of Canada, working in collaboration with the Province of Ontario, is in a great position to ultimately see more energy sources coming out of Alberta. Working collaboratively can make a difference. We can go to British Columbia. British Columbia leads the nation on things like LNG and mining. I am thinking of copper and other things. We can go into the north, where we are investing billions into northern economic sovereignty. There, we are seeing the promotion of energy can be a resource for actual sovereignty by promoting growth, in terms of our militarization in one form or another, in terms of the north and protecting sovereignty.”
“It would provide us, I believe, the opportunity to expand the port to be a year-round port, with the potential of exporting LNG and other types of minerals, scarce minerals, and other items. For the first time in generations, we have seen significant movement, and there is a sense of hope and optimism that we are moving in the right direction by working together and collaborating. We can move on to Saskatchewan, where we can talk about copper mines, canola and potash. The federal government is working well with the provincial government in recognizing the potential that Saskatchewan can materialize for the entire nation. (1630) With Alberta, we signed an MOU not that long ago. It was concerning, given the number of MPs from Alberta, that the Conservatives were not on board with that MOU.”
“They were talking about how they were looking at Canada as a way to expand their nuclear energy supply, in particular, in Ontario, and that is why we see those federal investments. We can play a strong leadership role not only for Ontario or within Canada, but also abroad. Continuing to move from east to west, we can talk about Manitoba and the mining opportunities there through major projects. A personal favourite of mine, and I know the member for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski has been a very strong advocate for it, is the port of Churchill. We can talk about opportunities. Even the Premier of Manitoba is on board, promoting and encouraging opportunities with the port of Churchill.”
“We can ultimately see those tangible results. We have relationships with those provincial entities, territories, indigenous leaders and other stakeholders and we have seen major projects in every region of our great nation. I can talk about wind energy from Atlantic Canada and other energy sources. In the past, I have highlighted the expansion of the port of Montreal. This is a major investment that is going to allow for a lot more in terms of Canada's ability to export. I can talk about nuclear energy in Ontario. A while back, I was in the Philippines as part of a government trade promotion mission, where I sat around the table with representatives from, I believe, the Ontario government, along with the federal government. Most importantly, there were representatives for nuclear energy potential in the Philippines.”
“(1625) We have a government that is very much focused on building that infrastructure in major projects. When we have a Prime Minister who tells not only Canadians but the world that we want to be an energy superpower, it means that we have to be prepared to look internally within Canada to see how we will achieve this. Factor that into trade and how important it is that we work with other jurisdictions, and what we have seen is a team Canada approach at building a stronger and healthier economy. This is because when we talk about those major projects, what we are really talking about is working with stakeholders, provinces, territories and indigenous leaders and looking at projects that are going to help build that economy, whether it is in the energy area or dealing with exports of widgets, which is absolutely critically important.”
“If people wonder why we have a government that is so focused on trying to expand opportunities, they should get an understanding and appreciation of the number of jobs that are very much dependent on trade. I have said this in the past. Canada makes up roughly 0.25% of the world population, yet we contribute far more in terms of trade. That should be in the back of our minds as we look at ways we can build that stronger and healthier economy. Exports and two-way trade matter. They mean literally hundreds of thousands of jobs, but that is not all that, as a government, we are acting on. We have a government that realizes that it is one thing to talk about improving and increasing exports and trade opportunities, but we also have to be able to invest in and build Canada's infrastructure.”
“It is truly encouraging to see the degree to which, in that last 12 months, we have been very successful at reaching out and getting trade and defence agreements with a number of nations around the world. We have now had, for example, legislative measures here that have passed in Indonesia and the U.K., or England and Northern Ireland. It was really quite encouraging to see legislation and other aspects of trade being expanded. That is not failing to recognize the importance of U.S.‑Canada trade relations. In fact, what we have seen is a substantial increase in trade between Canada and the United States at the same time. I think it is worthy to note the degree to which we as a nation rely on trade.”
“I do not say that lightly because, at the end of the day, if we were to talk to the Prime Minister or any of the ministers who have been travelling abroad, in particular the Minister of Agriculture , the Minister of Industry or the Minister of Foreign Affairs , we would find that, wherever they go, they constantly hear about how others want to invest in and be a part of the Canadian economy or society, in some fashion or another. That should come as no surprise to members opposite. We were very aggressive in the last federal election just over a year ago when Canadians chose a new government and a new Prime Minister with a very clear mandate to build stronger relationships and look at ways to export our products beyond the Canada‑U.S.A. border.”
“Mr. Speaker, in terms of the opposition day motion, I thought it was really important for us to try to paint a different picture from what the Conservatives have been trying to tell Canadians, day in and day out. Canada as an economy, as a community, is actually doing quite well in comparison to other G20 countries. We continue to work every day on building a stronger and healthier economy. We often talk about how important it is to have a strong economy. In fact, we have had the Prime Minister clearly indicate that we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7. We are committed to doing that, to putting in the effort and the work necessary in order to achieve that goal. Canada has what the world wants in a very real and tangible way.”
“Mr. Speaker, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 1091 , 1092 , 1093 , 1094 , 1095 , 1096 , 1097 , 1098 , 1099 , 1100 , 1101 , 1102 , 1103 , 1104 and 1105 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled in an electronic format immediately.”
“Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 10 petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.”
“It will be one that is in Canadians' best interests. The trade agreement will not necessarily be in the interests of the Conservatives or the Bloc, but it will be in Canadians' best interests. I wonder if the member sees the holistic approach we are taking and sees it as a strategy.”
“Madam Speaker, the member talked a great deal about the lack of a strategy on the issue of trade. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The member would know that. For example, the Prime Minister and this government made a commitment to look at export opportunities that go beyond the Canada-U.S.A. border. We have some 20 agreements related to trade and defence. We have passed legislation on trade agreements with Northern Ireland, England and Indonesia. We are actually in negotiations on trade agreements with the Philippines and India. We have a Prime Minister who has been very proactive in promoting Canadian exports. Contrary to what the member implied, in the first quarter, we had a net increase in trade between the United States and Canada. We are going to negotiate the best deal.”
“Madam Speaker, part of the concern I have about the Conservatives' opposition day is that, consistent with what they usually do, they are misleading Canadians. With the first two speakers, we had one member stand up and say there has been a net loss in jobs since this Prime Minister became the Prime Minister, which is just not true, and then another member stood up and said export numbers are going in the wrong direction. Again, it is just not true. Implying that Canada is constantly broken is something the Conservatives are very good at doing, and they seem to take great glee in talking down Canada. I wonder if my colleague could talk about what he believes is important in terms of how Canada is, in fact, growing and things are getting better in many different areas.”
“Madam Speaker. I understand the member has not decided how she is going to be voting on the bill. I think it is important to recognize, as she has, the purpose of the bill. The bill is there, in a way, to clearly demonstrate that working collaboratively with provinces, indigenous peoples, territories and the many other stakeholders is the best way for us to address the multitude of issues facing Canada's housing situation. The federal government is stepping up. Here we are talking about legislation, but we have also made serious dollar commitments through the budget to support Build Canada Homes. I think we have to take a holistic approach to dealing with it. Could the member provide her thoughts in regard to how important it is to work collaboratively with others? This, at least, helps set that stage.”
“Today, there are non-profit government-run houses where there is a percentage based on income. Is that what she is proposing for the one million homes?”
“Madam Speaker, I think it is important to recognize, within the legislation and the commitment of the government, the issue, in one word, of collaboration. It is not going to be the federal government itself that resolves the housing crisis. We have to work with many different stakeholders: provinces, indigenous communities, territories, municipalities, housing co-ops and others. Habitat for Humanity is one of the non-profits I constantly bring up. That is what this government has committed to do: increase the housing stock. The member made reference to two things that I would like her to provide a bit of further comment on. She said to build one million public homes. How would she define public homes? Would the government build them in their entirety and then provide an ongoing subsidy of 30%, as the member said?”
“I guess we will have to agree to disagree, but the principle of government support for housing is something I think we can both agree on.”
“Madam Speaker, I look at the federation as working in a collaborative way. When we think in terms of the important issues Canadians have, housing is one of them. When I think in terms of issues like housing co-ops, Quebec has a lot of housing co-ops, as Manitoba has housing co-ops. I think of organizations like Habitat for Humanity. Again, throughout our great nation, there is a presence, a footprint of Habitat for Humanity. These are organizations that I believe want to be able to see the federal government continue to work collaboratively, to continue to provide programs that are going to encourage growth and support non-profit housing. Ultimately, I believe the federal government does have a leadership role to play on the national scene.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would appeal to the member to reverse the Conservative policy of just getting out of the way, recognizing that the federal government does have a role to play in housing. Would he not agree?”
“There have been discussions among the parties, and if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion. I move: Motion That, the speech of Her Excellency the Governor General, together with the address of welcome made by the Prime Minister in the Senate Chamber on Monday, June 8, 2026, be printed as an appendix to the House of Commons Debates for that day and form part of the records of this Parliament.”
“Mr. Speaker, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 1080 , 1081 , 1082 , 1083 , 1084 , 1085 , 1086 , 1087 , 1088 , 1089 and 1090 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled in an electronic format immediately.”
“Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to five petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.”
“Madam Speaker, it is truly amazing how the Conservatives love to give misinformation, not only inside the chamber but outside the chamber also. I look at what the member just finished saying of the government in the last year. He was being critical of how we are doing the opposite, and then he used the example of immigration. He said the immigration numbers have gone up by 2.5 million in the last three years, and then he went on to blame the Prime Minister . In the last year, we have actually seen a decrease in immigration, yet the member tries to give the impression that the Prime Minister and this government have not stabilized the immigration issue. That is a sample of the misinformation that Conservatives pump out, day in and day out, inside and outside the chamber. Will the member apologize for providing misinformation once again?”
“Madam Speaker, it is disappointing that the Conservatives maintain the principle of just getting out of the way, when, in fact, this is something that is necessary. It is one of the ways we can actually work in a collaborative fashion with provincial, territorial and indigenous communities and the different stakeholders to improve and build Canada's housing stock, particularly in the area of affordable housing. The leader of the Conservative Party , when he was the minister of housing, built a grand total of, and if I had a drum, I would roll it, six homes. There is absolutely no surprise here that the Conservatives have decided not to support the legislation, but there is a disappointment. Does the member opposite believe that the federal government has a role to play in building Canada homes?”
“Madam Speaker, earlier I had the opportunity to ask one of our colleagues a question about how important it is that we recognize our stakeholders, working collaboratively with provincial and territorial jurisdictions, indigenous communities and so forth. Already this morning, one of the things that have been highlighted is the importance of making sure we have the skilled workers necessary. My colleague made reference to the Red Seal program and its 80,000 to 100,000 people over the next number of years, which is a serious investment by this government. I wonder if my colleague could provide his thoughts on working collaboratively, as we have witnessed with the federal government and the Province of Quebec, or if he could comment on just how important the Red Seal program is to our nation in terms of building homes and other projects.”
“Madam Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's words on the importance of Build Canada Homes. He highlighted how important it is to recognize that Build Canada Homes is not going to operate in itself, that it is very much going to work collaboratively with different stakeholders and provincial jurisdictions. It is all about doing what the Prime Minister and the government as a whole have been talking about, and that is increasing Canada's housing supply, with some particular focus on affordable housing. I wonder if he could just provide his thoughts on how important it is that we work collaboratively with the different stakeholders out there.”
“That is why I am very much interested in how the Canada Labour Code could potentially be improved or if there are other things we can do to protect our unions.”
“These are the types of issues, whether it is advocating for union membership or supporting good union jobs through programs such as the Red Seal program, where we are promoting a significant amount of allocated money that is going to assist, literally, 80,000 to 100,000 new highly skilled workers. That anti-scab legislation is something that I take great pride in. Hopefully, other provincial jurisdictions will take it up and move on that particular file as well. I believe in the importance of ensuring that workers have confidence in their union executives. A big part of that is to ensure that it is not being influenced by employers. That is really an important aspect of the role unions have to play. The manipulation of unions is something that I believe, in principle, we have to look out for and protect them from.”
“In particular, in my home province of Manitoba, we had Alex Forrest, a champion for our firefighters in how the membership, the workers, can actually benefit from strong advocacy. I am really encouraged with Canada Post's recent decision to ratify an agreement. I believe the vote was over 85% in favour. That agreement has been a long time coming. It is very gratifying to see that there is, at least, an agreement ratified by the employees, but I understand that the employees still have many concerns. Some of those are concerns that I plan to continue to advocate for, because I genuinely want Canada Post to be there for future generations.”
“I think that we can collectively continue to demonstrate leadership in the manner in which we approach those issues. I also believe it is important that we try to depoliticize, where we can. I had the opportunity recently to talk with the union membership of the Winnipeg transit union to hear some of the concerns they have in areas where Ottawa has some influence. I would indicate to James and company at the Winnipeg transit union that I understood what they had to say, and I will be sharing those concerns with the government in an attempt to deal with them. I appreciate the phenomenal work that our firefighter associations and unions have done across the country.”
“I think, if we take a look at it from a historical point of view, that has been the case, but unfortunately there are examples where that has not been the case. If we can deal with this issue in a tangible way, I suspect we will find an openness of the government to do so. (1810) If we take a look within the Labour Code itself, the issue of protecting the integrity of collective bargaining is there. The issue of protecting the integrity of the worker, through not having employer interference in union membership, is also there. I think these are the types of things we should be reinforcing in their importance. I like the manner in which the member had put it, that unions are there to answer to the workers. I appreciate that particular comment because I truly believe that is the case.”
“I think that when we talk about unions, we need to highlight how we as a society have benefited by them. However, we also have a job to do. That is something that has been pointed out today, and we will take a look at it. That is why I posed the question I did for the member opposite. I was genuinely wanting to get a better understanding of what is within the legislation. Protecting workers' rights has always been a priority for me personally, and it will continue to be. I recognize that, at times, what we have witnessed is the domination of a union that does not have the support of the workers. It is the workers who make the decision to have a union and who put it into place, and the union is there to represent the workers.”