Wednesday May 28, 2025 | OTTAWA, ON – reporting from VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 11:40 am PT]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Today’s question period in the House of Commons was the first since the April federal election.
It was newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first test in that role.
For the most part the Conservatives pressed for a spring budget and pressed for a more robust energy economy. The Conservatives are currently led by Andrew Scheer in the House of Commons, as Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre was not re-elected in the recent federal election.
Budget and economy:
Carney has previously said it will take time to prepare an effective budget given the promise of shifting the economy in various ways. That budget has been promised as a new approach to building ‘one economy not 13’.
Carney rattled off aspects of the Liberal campaign promises including lowering income taxes and removing or reducing GST on new home builds.
The Bloc Quebecois accused Carney of treating the provinces and territories like ‘branches of a bank that is headquartered in Toronto’.
Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne expects the Conservatives to support the Ways and Means Bill so that the government can function. He pointed out that the government is now cutting taxes for 22 million Canadians. However, the tax break is of less help to lower income Canadians than those with larger incomes.
Energy superpower:
The Bloc also called for strong action against the climate crisis and pointed out that climate change was not mentioned in yesterday’s Throne Speech. Carney replied that Canada becoming an energy superpower will help deal with the climate crisis.
Canada’s energy projects will continue as “low cost, low risk and low carbon”, said Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy Dominic LeBlanc said energy projects will be fast-tracked.
Apparently a few targeted projects are slated for discussion at the Prime Minister’s meeting with Canada’s premiers in Saskatoon on June 2.
Housing promise:
Housing Minister Gregor Robertson promised that “seniors won’t have to sell their homes below market value” but that more affordable homes will be built as a way to get more people into home ownership.
Electoral reform:
Green Party Leader and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands, Elizabeth May, introduced the need for electoral reform to be enacted by the current government.
Given the massive sweep that the Liberals achieved in this election — similar to the 2015 election — the appetite by the government of the day is unlikely to pursue electoral reform toward something resembling proportional representation.
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