Steven MacKinnon
Gatineau, Quebec · Liberal · Canada
“[ Translation ] We have come here to Ottawa with different solutions to the challenges we currently face, but let us be very clear: We are united in this chamber by our love for the Parliament of Canada and for Canada itself.”
“Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to adjourn for the summer, I would like to express my gratitude to a few people. [ English ] I want to extend my personal thanks to everyone here on Parliament Hill.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are at the end of a session, and I wish the Leader of the Opposition, his colleagues and obviously his family a restful summer, as I wish for all my colleagues on this side of the House. I want to point out that we are finishing one of the most productive legislative sessions in recent history.”
“[ English ] I want to thank my colleagues, the 174 proud and committed Canadians who serve their people proudly every day. [ Translation ] I do not want to overlook the contribution made by the other parties.”
“Mr. Speaker, let us talk about generations and generational investments. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Quebec's and Canada's French-speaking culture. That is something that the Bloc Québécois did not even ask for in its budget requests.”
“Mr. Speaker, we have been having an interesting conversation this week in this very forum. The Conservatives pretend to stand up for and care for vulnerable people in this country, yet every time we propose a program, a tax reduction or a hand-up to people, they vote against it.”
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“Mr. Speaker, I want to wish my friends in the official opposition well as they make their way to Calgary for their convention, which is of course why the House will not sit tomorrow. The customary courtesy is afforded to the important work of all political parties, and we appreciate the involvement of all those who feel passionate about our country. This afternoon, we will continue with second reading debate of Bill C-16 , the protecting victims act. Upon our return on Monday of next week, the business to be called will again be Bill C-16 , followed by second reading of Bill C-19 , the Canada groceries and essentials benefit act, which was introduced yesterday by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue . [ Translation ] I would also like to inform the House that Tuesday and Thursday of next week shall be allotted days.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for that question and for his very constructive and productive involvement on that very important issue. We thank him for bringing this issue to the House's attention. We will consider the matter and report to the House at the appropriate time.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Alberta MP may well want to return to Calgary, where his party is having a convention, at which, I understand, Premier Smith may welcome delegates. He might ask her about the contents of that very important MOU, which is going to make Canada an energy superpower in renewable and conventional energy, create jobs for the working men and women of the province of Alberta and create prosperity for all Canadians. That is what we are going to do.”
“Mr. Speaker, I do not know which major project the member is referring to. If he has a major project that is not currently before the government, I would like him to bring it to me. What I can tell him is that the MOU signed with his premier envisages nuclear development in the province and carbon capture and storage in the province, and it will interconnect among prairie provinces. Those are all megaprojects and we have not even left the confines of the province of Alberta yet. We are going to continue working to build this country, whether the MP likes it or not.”
“Mr. Speaker, no one can bring back the victims of such tragedies. That much is certain. We can also be certain that the government has taken and will continue to take action that will continue to be welcomed by the Quebec trucking association, just as our actions have been welcomed by stakeholders in the industry. The member is unable to tell me which of Quebec's jurisdictions he would like me to interfere in.”
“Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to everyone affected by tragedies on Canada's roads and highways. Like all members of the House, I sympathize with the victims. We have taken concrete steps that will significantly impact the Driver Inc. scheme in Canada. These measures are set out in the budget, and we hope that the Bloc Québécois will join us in passing the budget as quickly as possible so that we can move on to solving the problem.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are confident that this system and its implementation will ultimately benefit all OAS recipients. They will be able to receive the right amount and receive it on time, as they deserve. That is the government's job. We replaced an outdated system so that we can better serve Canadians and all seniors in Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, obviously, there are public servants working on this system to minimize mistakes and correct them. We are confident that this successful modernization of government systems will ultimately enable seniors to self-register, get better service and receive their benefits even faster. This is already happening. If there are any mistakes, they will be fixed.”
“Mr. Speaker, one mistake is one too many, no question. We encourage anyone who believes they are affected to contact Service Canada. We are talking about a significant and successful modernization of government systems, which will allow seniors to self-register and start receiving their benefits even faster, without having to wait on the phone or in a long line at a government office. If there are any mistakes, we will fix them. Still, this is good news for taxpayers.”
“Mr. Speaker, as a proud resident of the national capital region, I can only lament this member's repeated, and he has been consistent on this, endorsement of the occupation of this downtown and of the disturbance and unbelievable annoyance this created for residents of downtown Ottawa. The fact is that it was an unlawful demonstration that was ultimately ended by the good graces and very Canadian model of co-operative law enforcement.”
“Mr. Speaker, we put our ideas to the test last year during the election, and the Prime Minister 's plan to build Canada strong won the day, while the member's approach was rejected. I guess that is news to them. I want to reiterate to my colleague that we just announced a project at the port of Saguenay, not to mention the port at Contrecoeur, a logistics and supply chain megaproject in Quebec.”
“Mr. Speaker, we have nation-building projects going on right across this country. I would refer the member to his own province of Ontario, where we are in major developments in the nuclear sector and will be developing the Crawford nickel mine, and where we are going to build North America's very first high-speed rail network, from Quebec City to Toronto. We are going to build in British Columbia, whether it is LNG, the northwest corridor or Ksi Lisims. We are building this country. We are building it big. We are building it strong.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is good to see Conservatives finally coming around to the Liberal plan, which is precisely that: To diversify trade markets, to build our country up with Canadian steel, Canadian aluminum, Canadian ingenuity, Canadian know-how and Canadian union men and women building our country together. The Conservatives' proposals were tested. They had the ultimate test, a general election, which did not go so well. Canadians voted for the Prime Minister 's plan to build Canada strong. That is what we are going to keep doing.”
“Mr. Speaker, we obviously take very seriously the need to provide benefits to those who are entitled to them. The government modernized its outdated software, and that is good news. The new software enables seniors to access services online and receive an enhanced level of service. A few people have been affected, and that is a few people too many. We agree on that. We are asking these individuals to call Service Canada to get their situations sorted out.”
“The first thing, Mr. Speaker, is I know we want to acknowledge the member's acknowledgement of our Prime Minister 's fantastic speech at the World Economic Forum. I know Canadians were very relieved when the Leader of the Opposition said that never, ever, shall he or any of his ministers ever go to Davos to that World Economic Forum. They would not want to run across the President of the United States or the President of Ukraine or any of the investors in Canada, so the— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!”
“Mr. Speaker, we obviously find it unfortunate if a senior citizen has experienced an issue with their cheque. The member should speak to the government, and we will try to resolve the issue. That said, enough is enough. We changed computer systems, which is a huge undertaking. We have replaced outdated software from the 1970s with new software that allows citizens to manage their own accounts and register for OAS. That is enough of the opposition's fearmongering.”
“Mr. Speaker, allow me to be a bit skeptical about the member's outrage. Software bugs happen. In this case, we have very successful software that was able to update ancient software dating back to the 1970s. Seniors can now access self-service options online and over the phone, making payments even faster. If there are any problems, we will fix them, but—”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada has one of the most vibrant, important and imposing mining sectors in the world. Toronto is one of the most important mining finance centres in the world. The Building Canada Act will permit us to accelerate work on mines like Crawford, on LNG projects, on critical minerals, on the Sisson mine in New Brunswick, on mines right across this country, on the minerals of the future and on nickel and the minerals that keep Canadians working. Minerals are going to be a core part of our economic plan going ahead.”
“Mr. Speaker, we had a very important debate last year about the purported Canada sovereignty act. It is called a general election. The Conservatives put that to the people. We put the Prime Minister 's plan to build Canada strong, to build it up with our aluminum, with our lumber, with our steel, and with our unionized men and women across this country. Guess which plan Canadians selected. We expect a little more intellectual energy from the other side of the House. In the meantime, we are going to continue building this country very strong.”
“Mr. Speaker, forestry, mill jobs and the forestry sector in Canada are part of the very fibre of our country, the very fibre of our communities. The parliamentary secretary just outlined the many measures we are putting in place to make sure we protect those workers and those facilities against an ill-advised trade war that will only increase the cost of housing in the United States and elsewhere. We are going to put those people to work producing wood, producing mass timber and building homes. We are going to do that in the face of Conservative—”
“Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers are telling us loud and clear to focus on affordability, end-of-month needs, rent, housing and protecting our industries, such as softwood lumber and aluminum. They are asking us for broader protection against tariffs and other threats in a highly complex world, and to protect our culture and language. That is what the federal government and the Liberal Party are going to do this year.”
“Mr. Speaker, there is a bill before this Parliament that would let investors invest, that would let builders build and that in fact would attract $1 trillion of investment in our country that will protect our workers and build our industries. It is the budget implementation act. Canadians in Conservative ridings are telling us that they want this Parliament to work and that they want to endorse the Prime Minister 's plan to create growth in this country. Can the member give us a date, just a date, when we will have third reading and pass the Prime Minister 's plan for prosperity in Canada?”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague is speaking to a government House leader who is a proud descendant of Scottish immigrants, who studied French in Prince Edward Island, who did his undergraduate degree at the Acadian university, the Université de Moncton, who is living his life in French and who was elected four times in a riding that is 90% francophone. That is what is possible in Canada. Mutual respect between anglophones and francophones makes this the best country in the world. Long live Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, English- and French-speaking Canadians have built a great country, the best country in the world. We have created great prosperity through mutual respect for official languages and human rights. No one, not even the Bloc Québécois, can downplay this achievement. We will continue to work on the issues that concern Quebeckers, namely, affordability, job creation and building prosperity together.”
“Mr. Speaker, we certainly want to wish the Leader of the Opposition well in this very decisive and important week for him. We know that he will have success at his party's convention. The Prime Minister 's plan to grow our economy, to create a trillion dollars in investment and to protect our workers and our industries from trade threats is before the House in Bill C-15 . We take very well the leader 's openness to work with us on legislation. Can he give us a date, just a date, in the next words out of his mouth, as to when we can have third reading on the BIA?”
“Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we want to express our support for the Leader of the Opposition during this decisive week for him. I am sure that he will be able to convince a majority of Conservative members to support his leadership. We also welcome his receptiveness to the legislation before the House. One of the bills on the agenda is the Prime Minister 's plan for our economy; it aims to create opportunities in Canada. Can the Leader of the Opposition give us a date when we can proceed to a third reading vote on the act implementing—”
“[ English ] Many of them are residents in my own riding of Gatineau, which I continue to be very proud to represent in this House. [ Translation ] Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I believe you would find unanimous consent in the House for the following motion: Motion That, notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House: (a) Bill C-4, An Act respecting certain affordability measures for Canadians and another measure , be deemed read a third time and passed on division, and that the opposition of the Member for Saanich—Gulf Islands be noted; (b) Bill C-13, An Act to implement the Protocol on the Accession of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership , be deemed read a second time on division and referred to the Standing Committee on International Trade; (c) Bill C-12, An Act respecting certain measures relating to the security of Canada's borders and the integrity of the Canadian immigration system and respecting other related security measures , be deemed read a third time and passed on division, and that the opposition of the Member for Saanich—Gulf Islands be noted; (d) following the adoption of this order, the House shall proceed immediately to the consideration of Private Members' Business, and during that time, no quorum calls, dilatory motions, or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair; (e) no proceedings pursuant to Standing Order 38 be taken up today; and (f) when the House adjourns later this day, it shall stand adjourned until Monday, January 26, 2026, provided that, for the purpose of Standing Order 28, it shall be deemed to have sat on Friday, December 12, 2025.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the chief opposition whip, for at least the festive part of that statement. If he wants to stand and propose that Bill C-14 be read at all stages and passed, we will absolutely support that on this side of the House. Before discussing the business of the House, I would like to join with my hon. colleague and take this opportunity to thank all members of Parliament and their staff, who work hard every day for Canadians, whether here in the House of Commons or in their ridings. (1540) [ Translation ] I would also like to wish very happy holidays and a merry Christmas to all those who help us here in the parliamentary precinct: the clerks, the pages, the interpreters and the members of the Parliamentary Protective Service.”
“Mr. Speaker, several years ago, the member earned the nickname “Death Valley well driller”. The Death Valley well driller is that lonely guy out in the desert who has gone looking for water and never finds it. Here he is once again, winding up the big pitch, and it all ends in nothing. Of course, there are talented men and women joining with the government. We are going to help build the country. We are going to build Canada strong, notwithstanding the naysayers and the Death Valley well drillers.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader lives in a bit of a parallel universe if he thinks we are the ones in the way of the most ambitious crime-fighting agenda that has been presented to this Parliament ever. The Conservatives are blocking progress on bail reform. They are blocking progress on immigration reform. They are blocking progress against extortion, child pornography and all manner of crimes. Will that leader stand up right now, turn around and tell his caucus to get out of the way of the Liberals fighting crime?”
“Mr. Speaker, it is important to not twist the facts just because it is the holiday season and everyone is feeling generous. The Conservatives spent September, October, November and December filibustering the most ambitious crime-fighting agenda in Canadian history. Now, at the eleventh hour, on the very last day, they show up and want to rearrange everything. We have bills on bail, on combatting hate and on combatting violence and extortion. The Conservatives need to get out of the way.”
“Mr. Speaker, no one calls the Conservative Party the “party of hope”. This holiday season, I want to wish even the grinch across the way, the Leader of the Opposition, a very merry Christmas. My wish for the entire Conservative caucus is that they will stop imagining taxes, taxes that do not exist, taxes that Canadians do not have to pay and will never have to pay. What we are actually going to do is provide supports for all Canadians. I wish everyone a merry Christmas.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order. It is absolutely absurd and outrageous to suggest that Parliament would act to constrain the rights and privileges of Canadians to prayer, to choose their faith and to practise their religion in any way possible.”
“Mr. Speaker, because the member wrote the biography of the member for Battle River—Crowfoot , he knows very well the tricks of the trade when it comes to obstructing legislation. Here is the problem the Conservatives have. We have systematically tabled legislation in the House to battle child pornography, extortion and intimate partner violence and to do bail reform. We have put border measures and we have put immigration crackdowns all in front of the House. What do the Conservatives do? They filibuster and jam, just like the book says.”
“Mr. Speaker, this government has implemented far more than just one measure. We lifted the T4A moratorium. We instituted information sharing between the CRA and the Department of Employment and Social Development. We made sure that the Department of Employment and Social Development conducted inspection blitzes. Now, we expect the provinces to perform roadside checks, take charge of certification and, of course, issue driver's licences. That is the provinces' job. Does the Bloc Québécois member want us to encroach on Quebec's jurisdictions? I should think not.”
“Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague should speak to Quebec's trucking association, which has commended the work of the government, my colleague the Minister of Jobs and Families , the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and myself. We have implemented a series of measures to put an end to this relic from the Harper era, which allowed the use of Driver Inc. truckers. Now, we have put in place a series of measures to get them off the roads, and we are working with the provinces. The member should also welcome our—”
“Mr. Speaker, once again, I know the hon. deputy leader of the Conservative Party is not suggesting that the Prime Minister of Canada should not have joined with dozens of his international counterparts for as auspicious an event as the commemoration of a ceasefire in the Middle East, an issue upon which, I might add, she has had a lot to say over the last little while. The Prime Minister of Canada represents Canadians proudly, and Canadians are proud when our Prime Minister attends these events and does incredible business with his counterparts from all around the world.”
“Mr. Speaker, of course we can call this a democracy. We are here to debate it publicly. That is the very definition of democratic debate. As for Bill C-15, it contains very important tools for advancing our economy, advancing Canadian innovation and ensuring that we can achieve great things together, so that Quebec can reach its goals and Canada can reach its economic and other goals. We look forward to debating it further with the member and with the entire House of Commons.”
“Mr. Speaker, I know that in the spirit of the holiday season, the Leader of the Opposition is surely not suggesting that the Prime Minister not attend as auspicious an event as the ceremony with respect to peace in the Middle East and Gaza, and join multitudes of other world leaders at that occasion, representing and making Canadians proud for his attendance at that event.”
“Mr. Speaker, I wish to reiterate my thanks to our outgoing ambassador to the United States of America, Kirsten Hillman, who has furnished incredible, loyal and very insightful services to the people and to the Government of Canada. I think our country owes her a debt of gratitude. Once again, the policy that the member opposite refers to has never been and will never be the policy of the Government of Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, first of all, since we are on the subject, we want to send our best wishes to our ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, who has done a tremendous service for our country and continues to guide and advise us well. The policy the Leader of the Opposition is referring to has never been and will never be the policy of the Government of Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague, the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement , asked a very important question earlier: What exactly is inflationary spending? We keep asking this question month after month, day after day, and week after week in this chamber. Is it support for aluminum workers? Is it support for school food? Is it the dental care program? Is it health transfers? After all these months, can someone tell us what inflationary spending means?”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge and commend my esteemed colleague for the great job he did coaching the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. What he may not realize is that no one in Saguenay is asking the government to eliminate the school food program, support for organizations and volunteers, the Canada child benefit or support for housing. No one in Saguenay is asking for that. I would like the member to vote with us to keep these support measures for people in Saguenay and across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, amidst all the action taken by the Prime Minister , the Minister of Finance , the Minister of Jobs and the Minister of Transport to crack down on Driver Inc., a system created by Mr. Harper, incidentally, the Bloc Québécois is forgetting one thing. I think the member for Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel—Alnôbak will be chastising his party because the Bloc Québécois is asking the federal government to interfere in an area under Quebec's jurisdiction to resolve this problem. We will not do that.”
“Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister is the one who called on the Canada Revenue Agency to crack down on Driver Inc. truckers. He is the one who ordered more inspections to ensure compliance with the Canada Labour Code and he is the one who is making sure that legitimate trucking companies can operate in Canada. This was acknowledged at a meeting I had this morning with the Association du camionnage du Québec, which congratulated the government on all of its actions on the—”
“Mr. Speaker, every one of those 11 people and, indeed, every one of the 170 people on this side of the House were elected to put Canadians to work building major projects, building them with Canadian steel, Canadian lumber and Canadian aluminum, protecting our workers, protecting those most vulnerable and coming to the aid of families. The 170 Liberal members on this side of the House support a strong Canada, a compassionate Canada, and we are completely united on all of that.”
“Mr. Speaker, for a fleeting moment there I thought we were going to get another lecture on wood. We were all bracing ourselves on this side for another one of the Leader of the Opposition 's lectures on wood. I do take his point on steel. Indeed there is steel in farm equipment. Indeed Canadian farmers are the best in the world. Indeed our Minister of Agriculture and the entire government are rallying behind them to support our farmers, support our steel workers, support our economy and build big projects with Alberta and with British Columbia. We are going to keep doing that.”
“Mr. Speaker, I think we diverge on a very significant point above all others, which is that, over here, we believe in the future of Canada and in our ability to create our own future, to make our own decisions and to choose our own destiny. Part of choosing that destiny is the negotiations with members and the constituent parts of our vast and great land, which includes, of course, the province of Alberta and the province of British Columbia, as well as all provinces, which have rights holders and first nations as well. Would my hon. friend prefer to have an MOU and everything that is contained in that MOU, including great advances on the environment, or would he prefer to just have one part of that MOU, which is what his party is advocating for?”
“Mr. Speaker, as the member and all Canadians know very well, the political parties in the National Assembly and in the House of Commons are completely independent of one another. Of course, all Canadians are free to get involved in provincial politics, and doing so is a personal choice. We obviously expect all current and former government employees to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner and obey all laws.”
“Mr. Speaker, let us talk a bit about British Columbia, the single province with the most projects of national significance and the largest capital investment in the history of this country, as announced by my colleague the Minister of Natural Resources . If that is not enough, how about three straight months of job growth? How about inflation being down? How about wages being up over the rate of inflation? How about celebrating the economic progress and successes of this country instead of sitting over there and talking Canada down?”