Government Orders
Mr. Chair, regional routes are central to Via Rail's mandate. This year, according to the estimates tabled, the federal government will provide $383 million, which includes funding for regional passenger rail service. In my region, the Gaspé Peninsula, rail service was halted in 2013 because the line was in such poor condition. In a few weeks, however, the rail line will be completely restored and…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, does the minister agree that regional connections are at the heart of Via Rail's mandate?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, can the minister intervene and have Via Rail start the process to resume rail service between Matapédia and Port Daniel—Gascons?
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, if one was flying over our region, it would be impossible to decide where to touch down: in the rugged mountains of Haute-Gaspésie, where cliffs plunge into the depths of the sea; amid the gentle waves of Baie-des-Chaleurs, where, nestled between the sea and the mountains, a happy people sing; at the breathtaking Percé Rock; on the vibrant Gaspé Coast; in the Gaspé adventure park; amo…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, what worries the Bloc Québécois about fisheries is the oil drilling that the Liberal government is prepared to green-light. It will definitely disturb marine wildlife, and that worries us. As for inshore fishing, we want to promote a model where fishing is done by family businesses that are handed down from father to son, with inshore fishers taking just enough from the sea to make a …
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Don Valley North . In response to the Speech from the Throne, allow me to begin with a few words about the messenger. On September 5, 1755, in Nova Scotia, the King of England's instructions were read aloud by Lieutenant Colonel John Winslow, in English, to 418 men and boys called to the Saint-Charles-des-Mines church in Grand-Pré. The roy…
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Mr. Speaker, for the past 10 years, I worked as a lawyer at the New Richmond legal aid office in the Baie-des-Chaleurs region. I served the most vulnerable members of society and saw poverty first-hand. When my colleague talks about the link between poverty and crime, I find that quite interesting. I would like him to explain why, in the Speech from the Throne, his government did not commit to ref…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, elected officials should never blindly spend Quebeckers' money. However, that is exactly what the Liberals are proposing today. They are asking the House to adopt measures worth more than $200 billion without presenting a budget. There is no budget, not even an economic update. This is literally a spending spree. If the new government wants to break with the frivolous image of the Tru…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals continue to improvise with Quebeckers' money. They would have us believe that they can both raise spending and lower revenues without increasing the debt or cutting services. Quebeckers can see that this does not hold water. However, by not presenting a budget plan, the Liberals are asking Quebeckers to take them at their word. The Liberals have proved time and time again…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her comprehensive explanation of the variety of major challenges that Nunavut is facing. Nunavik in Quebec is also facing significant challenges. Recent events have led us to consider what we can do to improve drinking water and sewer infrastructure, particularly for the community of Puvirnituq. Can my colleague enlighten the House on how Nunavut is responding…
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Mr. Speaker, we have given the Liberal government the perfect opportunity to put its money where its mouth is. All it has to do is support our bill. It is one thing for the government to say that it wants to protect supply management, but it is another to then give up market share during negotiations, as was done during the last negotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, with compen…
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Mr. Speaker, the challenge is not only to diversify our export markets, but to also diversify our economic activities. The fishing industry in particular needs to diversify the types of products it markets. It is working on diversifying and marketing redfish, but its progress is too slow and it needs support. The same is true for seal hunting, which is gaining ground too slowly even though the res…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I would like to give my colleague the opportunity to tell the House what he thinks the Liberal government's reasons are for not tabling a budget at such an important time in our history.
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say hello to my colleague from Nanaimo—Ladysmith. We have things in common. My riding is also made up of mountains and seas. My colleague talked about the tariff war and the importance of taking action now. We know that very important negotiations will have to take place with the American government. Today, the Bloc Québécois introduced a bill to protect supply managem…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I never got to know my colleague from Battle River—Crowfoot, but I want to acknowledge his decision, which must not have been easy. I also want to point out that he seems to be a real team player. In his speech, my colleague talked about the challenges to Canada's national unity, so I would like to give him the opportunity, before he leaves us, to share his thoughts on what appears to…
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Mr. Speaker, we request a recorded division.
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Shefford for her speech. It embodied her dedication to social justice. I would like to give my colleague a bit of time to explain why protecting supply management is so important for Quebec's agriculture sector. In her riding and mine, there are dairy farmers operating family farms. It is a system that works well, because the entire agricultural sector is cur…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, my colleague is talking about the economy. Yesterday, the Quebec National Assembly unanimously adopted a motion reminding Via Rail that regional routes are at the heart of its mandate, that the Matapédia to Gaspé link is absolutely essential and calling on Via Rail to restore passenger rail service as soon as the railway is operational in the coming weeks. In the throne speech, this g…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking the people of Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine for putting their trust in me. I will endeavour, at every opportunity, to be worthy of them and stand up for the interests of Quebec and its regions. The Speech from the Throne in no way prioritizes the interests of our regions. We have just come out of an election campaign that was entirely focused on the imp…
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