Parliamentary Speeches
1,100 speeches by Andréanne Larouche — Page 8 of 22
Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, across all age groups, 79% of the population is in favour of increasing OAS, regardless of age. No need to be between the ages of 65 and 74, everyone agrees. Why is that? It is because people respect seniors and stand with them. If we can improve the living conditions of those who need it, people are all for it. Even in the House, everyone agrees except for the Liberals. When are they…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. It really caught my attention when he talked about control of the public purse, the nation's finances. I want to come back to a subject that is near and dear to my heart, and that is Bill C‑319, which his party supported. The government is telling us that there is not enough money to increase OAS, a program that helps seniors. How are we to feel …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech, but after listening to all this today, I cannot help but think that there is something wrong with the entire federal system. Let me explain. If the government keeps interfering this much in Quebec's areas of jurisdiction or refuses to grant the transfers requested by Quebec and the provinces, for example in health care, we are headed straight for…
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Mr. Speaker, the House has spoken. Yesterday, it demanded that old age security be increased for people 65 to 74. It demanded that the government give a royal recommendation to Bill C‑319. This bill is the only way to permanently protect all seniors' income. It is also the only way to permanently abolish the age discrimination that seniors are experiencing. Will the government finally listen to th…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, there is a lot I could talk about, but I am going to limit myself to one aspect of my colleague's speech, for which I thank her. I would also like to acknowledge her commitment to people living with disabilities. She is very passionate about this issue. That is what I wanted to tell her. In her speech, she talked about people with disabilities and this long overdue benefit. Organizati…
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Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Labour and Seniors has spent the week lecturing all and sundry, but he is in no position to lecture anyone. He is the one depriving almost 30,000 people in his own riding of a 10% increase in their OAS. He, the Minister of Labour and Seniors, is the one leading the Liberal fight against the will of the House to support people aged 65 to 74. He is even willing to risk a…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech and for the work that she does on the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. I say that because I am especially grateful for the work that this committee did on Bill C-319. I also want to thank her for supporting fairness for seniors. She asked me questions when I appeared …
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Mr. Speaker, is that what the Quebec Liberals are really about? They get all worked up when delivering their speeches about seniors in Ottawa, but in reality, they are abandoning the seniors in their communities. The Minister of Labour and Seniors is depriving nearly 30,000 retirees in his riding of Gatineau of a 10% increase in their old age security pension. Similarly, the Quebec lieutenant is a…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my colleague, who spoke on the important committee report we are debating this morning. I will be quoting heavily from an amazing organization in my riding called Dynamique des handicapés de Granby et région, which works to address the challenges facing persons with disabilities. The organization has a very dedicated executive director, Marie‑Christine Hon, whom …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question, which leads me to a final comment about senior women. During a press conference a while back, the Association féministe d'éducation et d'action sociale, or AFEAS, came out in support of the bill. At one time, women could not amass as much capital or prepare for a comfortable retirement. Those women are now between 65 and 74 and are practically …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, we are not keeping the government in power. We are not here to replace one government with another. We are here to get this bill passed. Also, there was no record to set straight. I have always said that there was a majority vote at second reading and that the Conservatives voted in favour of this bill. I thank them. This bill has already made its way through the House. After a majo…
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Mr. Speaker, on this International Day of Older Persons, the Bloc Québécois would also like to highlight the work of community organizations that support retirees. It is inexcusable that they are being denied funding from the age well at home program. It is inexcusable that the government is starving our organizations and depriving Quebec seniors of the money and services that are rightfully their…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Beloeil—Chambly for his wonderful presentation on Bill C‑319. First of all, I would like to say that a young man in his twenties named Samuel Lévesque was the first person who asked me to take action for seniors and sign a petition to address this unacceptable inequality between seniors in the name of intergenerational equity. A few weeks ago, I went to the ridi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, if what the minister is saying were enough, FADOQ, AQRP, AQDR and many other groups would not be in Ottawa today. However, they are here to demand a 10% increase in OAS for seniors under the age of 74. All seniors deserve the same support when they are facing the same rising cost of living. Everyone understands that. They certainly do not deserve to be divided into two classes of citi…
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is making October 29 its ultimatum on behalf of seniors. Their representatives are in Ottawa today to support our efforts. The FADOQ is here, and so is its Mauricie association. The Association québécoise de défense des droits des personnes retraitées et préretraitées, or AQDR, is here. The Association québécoise des retraités des secteurs public et parapublic, or A…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, as coincidence would have it, the Bloc Québécois's opposition day calling for a royal recommendation for Bill C‑319 happens to fall on October 1, the International Day of Older Persons. The bill aims to restore equality among all seniors and eliminate this gross unfairness. We have to recognize that people on fixed incomes are directly affected by inflation and need an increase in the…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to begin by answering the member for Lac‑Saint‑Louis by paraphrasing what my colleague from LaSalle—Émard—Verdun said: True power is independence. I wanted to remind the member of that. I am not sure how to approach this issue any more, because, since we came to the House in 2019, the Bloc Québécois has been talking about the importance of equity among seniors and the importa…
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Madam Speaker, I would say this to my colleague. What is the retirement age, in the Liberals' view? Is it 65 or 75? We hear that some seniors have a harder time working. Not everyone can work. The retirement age was set at 65. It is a universal program. Creating two age categories and two separate amounts in a universal program is called a loophole and age discrimination. It is called ageism. Let …
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Madam Speaker, what does the minister have to say to the organizations in Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation that welcomed me this summer and that, without knowing why I was coming to see them, told me that they had told their member of Parliament that the idea of creating an OAS loophole made no sense? What does he have to say to the people from the Association québécoise des retraité(e)s des secteurs p…
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Madam Speaker, I request a recorded division.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like ask my colleague a question. She said her government had helped seniors by increasing old age security for seniors 75 and over. I just want to remind her that it was her government that caused this injustice in the first place, this unacceptable inequity, this hole in the pension program, by creating two classes of seniors. The reason we are talking about this bill so m…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I was listening to my colleague talk about people who need help. She said that we need to help the most vulnerable. Does she include oil companies among the people or companies that really need help? Money from the Liberal government or previous Conservative governments—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I will try to make my question shorter. My colleague from Calgary Nose Hill talked a lot about the help that needs to be given to people who are finding the current climate a bit tough. Does she think that the oil companies need as many credits and as much financial support as they are currently getting from this government and got from the previous government?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers have told us again and again that they are concerned about the cost of living and seniors' living conditions. That is why we issued our October 29 ultimatum. The Liberals have no right to abandon seniors aged 65 to 74 considering the rising cost of living. They must put an end to the two classes of seniors they have created. They must stop discriminating against retirees ba…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I know my colleague has a keen interest in women's issues. Since she also talked about pensions, I will try to combine the two issues. How can restoring equity between seniors aged 65 to 74 and those aged 75 and over also benefit women, who are often senior women disproportionately affected by insecurity? How would putting an end to this unacceptable inequity created by the governme…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, in 2024, the Granby branch of the Association québécoise de défense des droits des personnes retraitées et préretraitées, or AQDR, is celebrating 40 years of fighting for the rights and dignity of seniors. The theme of the anniversary celebration was “40 years of struggle and commitment: working together for the rights and dignity of seniors”. It was an opportunity to reflect on the p…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, that was not the question. The Liberals may not realize it, but October 29 is just around the corner. In the meantime, they can start today by showing seniors and the community organizations that assist them a sign of good faith. The Liberals can promise to reach an agreement with the Government of Quebec and stop withholding funds from the age well at home program. It is unacceptable…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, we have reached a crucial stage for this bill. Here is what I was thinking. Given everything that we are hearing, how should I discuss Bill C‑319 at third reading stage? I will begin with a brief introduction and a little background. I want to make it clear that, when I talk about Bill C-319 and age discrimination, this is something that I care a lot about. Perhaps there are people …
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moved that the bill be now read a third time and do pass.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I ask that Bill C‑319 be carried unanimously at report stage. (Motion agreed to)
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, one thing is certain: As we have always said, at this point, it is a political choice. Some funds could be found elsewhere, and some funds could be better invested. I am just throwing that out there because I have to keep my answer short. I would also like to know the Liberals' idea of retirement age. Is it 65 or 75? I asked them that in committee. What is your idea of retirement ag…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question, which allows me to reiterate two points. First, our request for a 10% increase for people aged 65 to 74 is not new. As the leader of the Bloc Québécois made clear, there is no room for compromise on this issue. We are going to hammer home the message. We do not want half-measures. We want 10% for people aged 65 to 74. That is our specific reque…
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moved that the bill be concurred in.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, that is an interesting question. I would like to address two things. Some say that the GIS is welfare for seniors. Personally, I do not like that, but it is a fact. Increasing the GIS helps only a few people. Those are not my words. Experts at the conference said that. We can make numbers say what we want, but there are some people who are just above the poverty line, who are not en…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is thrilled to see that the NDP-Liberal coalition appears to have come to an end. The people elected a minority government in 2019 and did not give anyone a blank cheque in 2021. The Bloc Québécois has a lot of weight when it comes to promoting Quebec's priorities and interests. With the NDP-Liberal alliance, we again found ourselves with a government that complet…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I already answered this question in my speech. I spoke of the motions unanimously adopted in Quebec's National Assembly. As far as I know, there has not been a motion in the National Assembly to trigger an election. Our demand is clear: When a motion is adopted unanimously in the National Assembly, we represent and defend the interests of Quebeckers. That, however, is not the case w…
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Madam Speaker, that comes back to what I was saying in my speech about how we have to wonder whether we would really be better served by the Liberals or the Conservatives. Our leader said that it is a bit like being bitten by a snake or a tarantula. When it comes to foreign affairs, neither the Conservatives nor the Liberals, who said that Canada was back, have proven that they are truly capable o…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I talked about that in my speech as well. We are asking the Liberals to be logical. They cannot have a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while they continue to fund oil companies. Come on. The Bloc Québécois is logical. We want oil company funding and subsidies to end because climate change and the environment are crucial issues. That said, since this is probably my last oppor…
Read full speech →Private Members’ Business
Madam Speaker, this is another issue that should not be hijacked by partisanship. I rise today to speak to a bill that is important for women who are victims of domestic violence. The Bloc Québécois is in favour of Bill S‑205. This is bill is consistent with the initiatives that have strengthened the justice and policing systems to address domestic violence. Gender-based violence is a scourge, and…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I will end with a simple question to calm things down a bit. I have had the opportunity to meet regularly with Canadian processors located in the riding of Shefford, more precisely in Granby. I have met them alongside my colleague, the member for Berthier—Maskinongé, on more than one occasion. I would like to invite my colleague to speak to recommendation 7, the one about the code o…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I know my colleague is very interested in agricultural issues. However, I would like to come back to a fairly major issue for the farming community in my riding of Shefford. There was a question earlier about the Liberals, but it could have easily applied to the Conservatives at other times. It is about supply management. We have been waiting for this bill for over a year now. At on…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, my colleague talked about a number of things in his speech. However, he did not mention a recommendation that many farmers regularly bring up with me. Some Canadian processors in the riding of Shefford have their office in Granby. I am referring to the following recommendation: The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada increase staffing and the regularity of inspections…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my always eloquent colleague for her speech on a topic that is of the utmost importance in the riding of Shefford, for two reasons. I am talking about housing. Granby has one of the lowest vacancy rates of all cities. That is the reality. The city took steps to address that. Now it needs help from the federal government. The problem affects seniors in particular.…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from London—Fanshawe, with whom I have worked on this file, notably as part of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. What strikes me about her speech—what strikes me again today—is that we are still talking about this in 2024, when in 2015, before the Liberals even came to power, the Conservatives knew things about the general. The things …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, we in the Bloc Québécois completely agree with the expression used by my colleague from New Westminster—Burnaby. In fact, it was my colleague, the member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, who talked about a sort of Marshall plan, a wartime-style effort to invest in housing. My colleague spoke at length about investments in housing. I think it is important to recognize that, when it comes …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that seniors are watching us. They have had it with evasive answers. It is time for decisions. All year, I have been meeting with seniors throughout Quebec, and they are unanimous. The Liberals have to increase old age security for people aged 65 to 74, just like they did for people 75 and older. It is urgent. There is no justification for creating two classes of sen…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech, but after hearing what he had to say, I have some questions. I would like to know what the Conservatives plan to do about housing, other than the Conservative leader 's bill, which would basically impose conditions on cities and punish them. It completely ignores cities' existing development and environmental protection plans. That is not product…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have a choice: Either they put an end to the two classes of seniors that they created or they go to the polls to keep those two classes of seniors. The Bloc Québécois has made its choice. We choose the side of all seniors, the side of equity and justice. It is time for the Liberals to make a choice. They can choose to do away with age discrimination or they can choose to …
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Mr. Speaker, these days there is a lot of talk about elections. Some people are doing with all sorts of calculations. For the Bloc Québécois it is simple: We put our trust in Quebeckers, not the Liberals, not the Conservatives, but Quebeckers. Quebeckers tell us that they are worried about the cost of living and living conditions for seniors. That is why our priority is to increase old age securit…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois's demand is simple: We want the House to pass our Bill C-319, which would increase the old age security pension for seniors aged 64 to 74 by 10%. It is so simple and it makes so much sense that all of the parties supported our bill in committee. All that is missing is the will of the government. Since all the parties agree that we should increase the old age securit…
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