Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am not saying that my colleague's question is irrelevant, but it strays a little outside the scope of the bill. I can still give him an answer, though. This bill does not compromise national security. Quite the contrary, it strengthens identity and background checks, and it helps all stakeholders play a more proactive role in the fight against fentanyl trafficking.
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Mr. Speaker, the main purpose of this bill is to establish greater coordination and collaboration between the federal government, the provinces, the municipalities and the regions. With that coordination, I do not think a single thing needs to be added, because every border and every region has completely different constraints. Coordination and collaboration are what is most needed, and that is wh…
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Mr. Speaker, when we consider any bill, we need to ask a fundamental question: Who will this bill benefit? Will this measure that the government or the House is proposing make our programs more effective, make our services more compassionate and make our country fairer? When we look at Bill C‑12, a bill that aims to strengthen our immigration system and our country's borders, I think that the answ…
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, there is no duality. Rather, we are trying to strike a balance between openness and vigilance. That is very important. No one can say that the government has done nothing, quite the opposite. We invite our colleagues to come and discuss the matter in committee, because we simply must get the bill passed. What we are striving for is balance, not a duality.
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Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister of Public Safety has already answered that question. He has already made it clear that we are committed to strengthening recruitment in this field and to providing the necessary resources to combat trafficking at our borders. At today's meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, the discussions were reassuring, and we are working t…
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Mr. Speaker, October is Women's History Month, and I want to pay tribute to Maude Royal, a caring woman of action who has had a profound impact on the riding of Bourassa. For 15 years, she enthusiastically managed the St-Hubert restaurant on Pie-IX Boulevard, making it into an inclusive gathering place. In 2018, at the peak of the construction work on Pie-IX Boulevard, she played a key role in set…
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Mr. Speaker, I can outline what the Conservatives did, quite simply. I would like to finish what I started. They were able to do it by reducing frontline services. They sold off assets. They cut spending at the expense of services to Canadians. Is that really what increasing the GDP means to you—
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Mr. Speaker, although some may think that this balanced the budget, in fact, the opposite was true. The Conservatives merely fudged the numbers. Canadians cannot accept this. The Conservatives cannot claim to have balanced the budget when all they did was reduce services to Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to shift the focus back to the government's actions. Our government's measure was a strategic adjustment, not an ideological reversal. We shifted to carbon pricing for the big polluters, the ones actually causing the emissions. Canadians should not have to pay for pollution that really comes from the big polluters. That is why we are focusing on the big polluters in large…
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Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. What we want to do is to spend smart. We want to invest in Canadians, not make them poorer. There is a difference between spending to survive and investing to grow. Our government wants a growing Canada, a freer Canada, a stronger Canada and, above all, a Canada that is independent from its neighbour to the south.
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Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to know what the Conservatives built in 10 years. The answer is next to nothing. Unlike them, we want to spend smarter. We want to reduce current operational spending. We want to invest in a freer country. We want to invest in our economy. We want to build Canada strong. We want Build Canada Homes to build for future generations and especially for young people.
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Mr. Speaker, we simply need to distinguish between operational spending and investing. That is another thing my colleagues across the way need to understand. However, it would take a long time to explain it to them. They really need a class, not just a speech in the House. Simply put, growth is very important. Canada is experiencing positive growth, has the lowest debt in the G7 and is keeping inf…
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Mr. Speaker, let me begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with the member for Madawaska—Restigouche. Before I begin my speech, I would like to wish all my colleagues here in the House a happy Thanksgiving. I hope they have a good time with their families and enjoy this time in their ridings. Once again, we find ourselves debating a Conservative Party motion that is long on slogans but sho…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, this week, the Minister of Finance presented a budgeting framework that differentiates and distinguishes between recurring operating spending and capital investment. This budgeting framework also revises the budgetary calendar, so the budget will now be tabled in the fall, followed by an economic review in the spring. People in the riding of Bourassa are eagerly awaiting the budget. H…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question, which is a very good one. I would simply say that we want to give this commissioner the freedom to pursue intergovernmental relations and relations with the regions. My colleague's proposal would complicate the process, and that is what we want to avoid.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, it is very important to recognize the agreements. As I said, it is a matter of moving from agreement to action, but these are actionable variables that must be monitored and supervised. Ultimately, what we are putting in place is not simply an administrative measure. It is a renewed promise, that of a Canada where we do not just talk about reconciliation, but where we truly…
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Mr. Speaker, I think the issue is much more important than bureaucracy, but I would answer the question in the negative. It is an accountability mechanism. No, the position of commissioner will not create red tape. It will ensure that commitments are kept and that resources are used effectively and efficiently. That is what our government is aiming for.
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Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to note that I will be sharing my time with the Member for Yukon. Kwe kwe. Ullukkut. Taanshi. I would like to say hello to everyone. To begin, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that we are gathered today on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation, who have been the custodians of these lands since time immemorial. It is with deep…
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Mr. Speaker, I will begin by answering the last part of my colleague's question. Are the Liberals scared? Obviously the answer is no. Establishing this commissioner means establishing a mechanism for transparency and oversight. I hope that members across the way will vote in favour of establishing this commissioner. Contrary to what my colleague is saying, I think that by establishing this commiss…
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Mr. Speaker, I am deeply honoured to rise today and speak on such an important topic that affects Canadians, their peace of mind and their safety. My speech will address the issue from a number of angles. Specifically, I would like to discuss the need to work in a much more systematic way with multiple stakeholders. I would also like to talk about the need to address the issue in a much more thoug…
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Mr. Speaker, I believe we can work with our neighbours to the south to secure our border. We really need to coordinate our security efforts. However, importing and copying American laws — I do not know if I can say this, but it is not a smart move. We want to work in a smart way with all stakeholders while respecting the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We are in Canada. We are not south o…
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Mr. Speaker, since the member referred to my constituents in his question, I would obviously like to talk about prevention. What my constituents need most is prevention aimed at young people. They need programs that can prevent them from falling into a life of crime, programs that can help them stay in school, and they need a sports centre where young people can gather so they can become the champ…
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Mr. Speaker, what is important to say about this bill, and I will say it again, is that it will be a smart, thoughtful bill that respects the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. What I can say for certain is that it will not be an American-style bill, like the one proposed by the Conservatives. I can assure my colleague that there will be no American-style bill.
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Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, I missed part of the question. Could the member repeat it?
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Madam Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. In my riding, Bourassa, like in many parts of Canada, citizens want affordable and accessible housing. Can she inform the House on the ways her department is working together with local stakeholders, particularly municipalities, non-profits, local organizations and community organizations, …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my Bloc Québécois colleague and congratulate her on the relevance of the points she made. This is hardly about centralization. I am not an expert in this area, but I think we can agree that cybercriminals act quickly and nimbly. Their crimes are evolving so fast that our laws and those of other countries cannot keep up. Does she not see that the constraints she i…
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Madam Speaker, let me begin by saying that I will be splitting my time with the member for Vancouver East. I am very pleased to rise today to speak in support of Bill C‑8, an act respecting cyber security. This critical piece of legislation will strengthen Canada's resilience against public and private cyber-threats. I believe that all of my parliamentary colleagues would agree that cyber-threats …
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Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question. There are two dimensions here. The first has to do with cyber-threats. We are talking about criminals and how to deal with them. With regard to my speech, at one point I mentioned that service providers must be required to comply. That being said, it is my opinion and that of the government, that, to complement this bill, we need to establish digital s…
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Madam Speaker, I want to reiterate what I said earlier and I will repeat it again, to make it very clear. Collaboration involves all stakeholders, including provinces, territories, and, as I said earlier, all industries, whether public or quasi-public. Why? It is because we want to act quickly, because the threat is there. In the meantime, we do not want to cause any disruption to industry. That i…
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Madam Speaker, I talked about cracking down on crime, but my colleague is absolutely right to mention education. I am not just talking about public safety, but also about other sectors and other areas. Departments need to have communication strategies that educate users so that their data is as secure as possible.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for that very relevant question. Am I aware of the situation? Yes, I am. In my riding, Bourassa, between 25% and 30% of the population is seniors. I think that is a very important point. Inflation has had a much bigger impact on seniors. I am sure of that, and I could not agree more with my colleague. Now, should we increase OAS or should we try to lower prices? I…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his pertinent question, which is relevant. It is important to note that inflation has not only affected Canada. It has also affected many countries around the world. The issue of being proactive or reactive is very important in the response. I spoke about programs, which are aspects that are much more reactive. However, when we work directly with…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Madawaska—Restigouche. I thank all members of the House for their shared commitment to food security and to Canada's farmers and food processors. Our new government is committed to ensuring that prices remain affordable for Canadians. It has made this a top priority. In the face of unprecedented and unfair trade threats, we are working har…
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Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, many programs have been mentioned. I would like to thank my colleague for giving me another opportunity to talk about the programs we want to implement. While we do need to help farmers and recognize the importance of farmers and agri-food, I think it is very important to look at the end of the supply chain. We must ensure that food produced in Canada reaches Canadi…
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Mr. Speaker, I will just finish my sentence. The vote was finished.
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Mr. Speaker, thank you for your observation. The vote was finished when—
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Mr. Speaker, that is what I was saying earlier. Unfortunately, listening to the Bloc Québécois members, it is as though there are two sorts of Quebecker. He asks me where I was in 1982. I know the history of Quebec. I had the choice to go to other provinces when I immigrated, but I decided to settle in Quebec because I believe in Quebec's values, in the values of diversity and the French language.…
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Mr. Speaker, I see that my remarks shocked the members on the other side of the House. That was not my intention. I simply want to say that, while they do not really have the exclusive right to speak on behalf of Quebeckers, neither do we, but we were still elected by Quebeckers who sent us here. I do, however, want to point out one thing on which we agree. There is at least one. It is that we nee…
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Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of talk about minority issues. There is a lot of talk about the court and the 125 MNAs in Quebec. It is also important to note that what is happening now is that this law was imposed on a minority in Quebec, and it is this minority that is turning to the courts. My question is simple. Do these people have the right to challenge the law in this way and to turn to C…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my Bloc Québécois colleague and I heard the term “secularism”. One of the things that really motivated me to settle in Canada and choose to live in the province of Quebec as a Quebecker was its secular nature. Here, however, we have to be tread very carefully. There is a big difference between secularism and secularization. Secularization is really about imposi…
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Mr. Speaker, I admire the Bloc Québécois member's eloquence, and I also admire the image he chose, the image of the tower of Pisa, which always leans the same way. Along the same lines, can he not see that the Bloc Québécois is also like the tower of Pisa in a way, because it always leans toward the majority? The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects minority rights above all. However, …
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Mr. Speaker, far be it from me to muddy the waters. I want to be specific this time, and I would like an answer from my colleague. When I speak about minorities, I do so as a Quebecker, representing Quebec here. I was referring to minorities in the province of Quebec compared to the francophone majority in Quebec. What values are we talking about? Are they values defined solely by that majority, o…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my colleague, who presented a beautiful framework, a very interesting vision of the angle that the charter should take. I congratulate him on that work. My question is very simple. Can my colleague at least give us an idea of how this notwithstanding clause can also harm minority interests in Quebec, freedom of expression and freedom of religion? I want to take t…
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Mr. Speaker, once again, I really do not need any lessons from the other side of the House.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a matter of crucial importance: protecting the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Since 1982, this document has been not only a legal instrument, but also a symbol of our identity and our democracy. Canadians see the charter not only as a law, but as a living guarantee that protects everyone, regardless of their ori…
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Mr. Speaker, that is a great quote. I think that protecting minorities is very important, especially when it comes to fundamental rights such as access to employment. I will give just one example. The people most affected by unemployment in Quebec are people of different racial backgrounds. These are people who, unfortunately, do not have access to employment because they wear a religious symbol. …
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Mr. Speaker, first, our government is tackling unemployment, developing employability and creating plenty of job opportunities. It is building a very strong economy. However, I would simply like to point out that there may have been a misunderstanding with my message. The fact is that in Quebec, a woman who wears a veil cannot teach. A woman who wears a veil cannot really work in a day care. Many …
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Mr. Speaker, I will answer the question by simply saying that, for us, Quebec values include the value of diversity. When we say in the House that we represent Quebec, it is a matter of arithmetic. There are 44 Quebeckers here who will represent and defend Quebec's culture and values. There are more of us. We have more women, more diversity and more seats. We will defend Quebec values and culture …
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Mr. Speaker, the NBA's Larry O'Brien trophy weighs more than 20 pounds. How do I know that? It is because the trophy was brought home to my riding of Bourassa. Luguentz Dort, who faced off against his childhood friend Bennedict Mathurin, brought the trophy home to Bourassa. We really had it back home in Bourassa. He also brought back hope. He brought back pride for young people in Bourassa. He als…
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Mr. Speaker, that is not a record to be proud of. Once again, and this is very important, let us not focus on lagging indicators. We agree on these points. However, when it comes to contributing factors, at no point did I hear anyone on the other side of the House talk about determinants of health, determinants of housing or social determinants. These are the determinants that create vulnerability…
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