With the G7 still ongoing in Kananaskis, minus Trump, things continued apace back in Ottawa as the government continues to bulldoze through its One Canada Economy bill (which remains a very big problem). Andrew Scheer was once again present but silent, leaving it up to Chris Warkentin to lead off, who raised the party’s Supply Day motion about ending the government’s supposed ban on gas-powered vehicles, which is not a ban, but it’s not like they have any real compunction to tell the truth. Julie Dabrusin boggled that the Conservatives would attack the auto industry like this. Warkentin shot back with claims that a report said that there could be 50,000 job losses in the auto industry because of trade uncertainty (read: Trump’s capricious tariffs), and he demanded the government “end the insanity” of the supposed “radical” ban on gas-powered engines. François-Philippe Champagne insisted that they would take no lessons from the Conservatives, and he praised the record investment in the auto sector and the EV supply chain. Rachael Thomas took over, and she demanded freedom of choice for vehicles people drive, and that EVs don’t fit the needs of Canadian families. Dabrusin said that she would stand up for the auto industry and for being climate-competitive, as EV sales are up globally. Thomas gave another overwrought plea to “stop making the vehicles auto workers are producing illegally,” and claimed that farmers can’t use EVs (which is complete bullshit). Dabrusin reminded her that the characterisation is wrong, and that they are not banning gas-powered vehicles (and it only took her until the fourth answer to point this out), but this was support for the EV sector, which has seen growing demand. Luc Berthold read the same mendacious script in French, and worried about the lack of snowmobiles, ATVs and F-150s. Champagne patted himself on the back for bringing Quebec into the auto industry and that they are creating jobs in the industry of the future. Berthold worried that cold weather cuts battery power of EVs, and Dabrusin praised the EV industry and Quebec’s adoption.
Christine Normandin led for the Bloc, and accused the government of using the G7 as a distraction as they ram through Bill C-5, and that this was something so heavy-handed that it would embarrass Stephen Harper. Mandy Gull-Masty insisted that there would be “exhaustive” consultation with Indigenous people as part of this. Normandin hoped that there were more Liberals who were uncommitted with this bill and what it represents, but Stephen MacKinnon insisted that they got elected to do just this. (Erm…) Patrick Bonin took over to also decry that the Henry VIII clause in the bill is so open-ended that they could suspend any law. Dabrusin said that Canadians asked the government to build a strong economy, and to embark on projects of national importance while they still protect the environment.
Round two, and Arpan Khanna worried that there was still no plan to deal with U.S. tariffs (Champagne: It’s incumbent on every member of this House to fight for the auto sector), Tony Baldinelli worried that the auto sector was investing more in the U.S. than Canada (Bardeesy: Let’s remember Buzz Hargrove and what he would be fighting for), Kathy Borrelli read the same script about failing to get a deal (Freeland: We will always stand and fight for our workers), Harb Gill read the same (Freeland: You can’t negotiate in public), Aaron Gunn returned to the falsehood about the supposed ban on gas-powered vehicles (Dabrusin: Why are you talking down a growing industry?), Grant Jackson read the same thing (Champagne: We led generational investments in this country), and Gabriel Hardy read the same in French (Dabrusin: We are not banning skidoos. We should talk about the facts).
The Conservatives seem awfully sure that someone could have come to a deal with Trump on auto tariffs. They keep repeating this same assertion over and over again. #QP
— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2025-06-17T18:37:38.496Z
Xavier Barsalou-Duval said C-5 could impose projects on Quebec and wanted an amendment to the bill (MacKinnon: The bill does respect provincial jurisdiction and Indigenous rights; Quebeckers support this bill because they elected 44 Liberals).
Stephanie Kusie called Gregor Robertson a hypocrite (MacKinnon: The minister is in full compliance with his ethics obligations), Garnett Genuis did the same (MacKinnon: The innuendo coming from the other side of this Chamber is frankly appalling; I denounce this juvenile, amateurish invective coming from the other side), and Dominique Vien tried again in French (MacKinnon: You were a minister in a government and I am surprised to see such low rhetoric impugning the motives of ministers).
Round three saw questions on extortion crimes (Fraser: There are already tough penalties for extortion in the Criminal Code; It’s reprehensible to suggest that one party in this House puts criminals ahead of victims; There is a mandatory minimum of seven years imprisonment and a maximum of life in prison; Sahota: We will hold extortionists accountable, and there was a major bust in Peel Region yesterday; The law of bail says that people should not be given it if they are at risk of flight or re-offence and provinces are responsible for upholding that), a sentencing decision around a safe injection site (Anandasangaree: The matter in question was decided by an independence adjudicator; Sahota: We are committed to hiring 1000 more RCMP and CBSA officers), housing costs (Robertson: Canadians elected us to double construction; The Housing Accelerator Fund has seen great uptake from municipalities; Housing starts are up overall this year), new selenium regulations (Freeland: There is a consensus among Albertans to protect the Rockies and we will work closely to ensure we do that), and the goal of 0.7% GNI for development assistance (Sarai: We will continue to maintain our developmental assistance as other countries cut back).
Overall, we got a lot of repetition again, but they changed up the topics slightly to their Supply Day motion—mendaciously worded and all—and the frankly batshit crazy notion that somehow Carney could have reached a trade deal with Trump by this point, as if anyone has reached an actual deal with Trump that is actually lasting. The very notion that this could have happened or even will happen in some form of permanent reprieve is likely an indication that someone is consuming hallucinogenic substances rather than living in the real world. Honest to Zeus. On top of that, the attacks against Gregor Robertson reached even more absurd heights today—apparently a housing minister can’t own houses, because then he’s in a conflict because he’ll want property values to rise? Like, have they met any gods damned homeowner ever? Is it not an article of faith among conservatives that home ownership is an investment so that the equity can be used in retirement? We’re back to feeling like I’m taking crazy pills.
Meanwhile, the constant question about extortion crimes were absolutely frustrating because the Liberal ministers and the Secretary of State are mostly conceding the ground to the Conservatives rhetorically on this, and ignoring things like Charter rights. I do give Sean Fraser props for at pushing back the most, whether it’s to remind them of what is in the Criminal Code, or to take umbrage with the notion that the Liberals support criminals over victims, but that kind of message gets undermined when you have Sahota reading canned lines about getting tough on criminals and strengthening bail laws when the problem is less the law of bail than it is provincial resourcing of courts and the criminal justice system. They haven’t seemed to learn that ceding the ground is only going to hurt them in the long run, but they just can’t stop doing it.
Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Michael Chong for a dark grey suit with a white shirt and a dark purple tie, and to Sandra Cobena for a lapel-less white jacket with black trim, over a white top and black slacks. Style citations go out to Rosemarie Falk for a black dress with a huge pink florals under a black bolero cut sweater, and to Mark Gerreten for a navy jacket and blue paisley tie with a pale blue shirt and dark tan slacks. Dishonourable mention goes out to Chris Malette for a black suit with a crisp white shirt and a bright yellow tie.