Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that Canada would be the best-performing economy in the G7, yet here we are as the worst: more than 100,000 jobs lost in two months, the second-highest unemployment rate, the highest household debt and the highest food inflation in the G7. Instead of solving the problem, the Prime Minister continues to block projects, impose taxes on production, and inflate the…
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Mr. Speaker, we thought we had seen it all with Phoenix and ArriveCAN, but then Cúram came along and surpassed even Quebec's infamous SAAQclic fiasco. That says a lot. The Liberals said they would be responsible with taxpayers' money. Instead, we are at $6.6 billion and seniors are still waiting for their pension benefits. The worst part is that half of that money is going into the pockets of cons…
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Mr. Speaker, the college and community innovation program supports research centres like Solutions Novika, Biopterre and Optech in La Pocatière. These centres support entrepreneurs' efforts to innovate and create jobs in the regions. However, the government is set to cut 30% of their budget. Meanwhile, it is throwing more than $6 billion at the the Cúram fiasco and continues to spend billions of d…
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Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers saw the cost overruns of SAAQclic. Hundreds of millions of dollars were wasted. That is a drop in the bucket compared to the federal fiasco involving Cúram, which cost $6.6 billion instead of $1.6 billion. That is $5 billion in cost overruns for a failed software program that was supposed to deliver old age pensions and does not even work properly. Currently, there are 86,0…
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Mr. Speaker, we learned today from the member for Beauport—Limoilou that the cost of the Quebec City tramway has risen to $13 billion, whereas it was estimated at about $750 million several years ago. Now, it is going to cost $13 billion and construction has not even begun. Obviously, we are all in favour of public transit. Nevertheless, we are currently talking about 20 kilometres of tracks costi…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today, buying groceries in Quebec has become a luxury. Food inflation is 6.2% higher than last year. It is the worst in the G7. In 2026, feeding a family of four will cost an extra $1,000. That is mind-boggling. Grocery prices are rising twice as fast in Canada as they are in the United States, and 2.2 million people are visiting food banks every month. Why is everything more expensiv…
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Mr. Speaker, we are seeing evidence of the housing crisis on the streets and in the homes of Quebeckers. Families are being forced to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table. Young people are putting their plans on hold because they cannot find affordable apartments. According to a Leger poll, one in five renters in Quebec had trouble paying their rent last year. In Montreal, it i…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that we should judge him by the prices at the grocery store. Well, Canadians have judged him. Groceries now cost twice as much as they did 10 years ago, and the latest food price report says that the cost will go up another $1,000 next year for a family of four. Today, families are telling us that they have to choose between milk and fruit or even skip the occa…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his moving speech. Of course, our thoughts are with him and his family following the loss of his son. I recently had an opportunity to speak with a nurse from Rimouski who works in a hospital emergency department. She told me that fentanyl is becoming a serious problem, even in the regions, along with marijuana, of course, since it was legalized. My colleague …
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak honestly about the budget tabled by the Liberal government. It is a budget that lets down families, workers, businesses and, above all, strategic economic sectors such as softwood lumber. The Prime Minister's recent budget talks about a generational investment plan. It is more like generational debt. It is 404 pages of promises. In our communities, it rings hol…
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Madam Speaker, my Bloc Québécois colleague is right about seniors. There is nothing in this budget for them. It is extremely disappointing. She is absolutely right. As for the softwood lumber issue, people do not want government assistance or a handout. They want to make a decent living from their jobs. Business owners want to make a profit from their sales. The problem is that they can no longer …
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Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I cannot swear in the House of Commons. I can assure everyone that it is not for lack of desire. If I could, he would be getting an earful. The reality is that the Liberals have been in power for 10 years. They have been running deficits for 10 years. They are bringing up Harper again. Harper was prime minister in 2008, during the worst global crisis since the 1930s. …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank some people who mean a great deal to me. We know that our role as members of Parliament would not be the same without our teams, and mine is no exception. Annie Francoeur, who has worked with me for more than 12 years, is not just my right hand; she is both my hands. She is continuing to rest after our accident in October. We miss her ver…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his kind words. My colleague said 35%, but it is actually up to 45%. That last 10% the U.S. President tacked on was really a death knell for every softwood lumber industry in my riding. It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Let us remember how the Prime Minister danced when he said “elbows up”. I honestly cannot wait to see if he will be dancing elbo…
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Mr. Speaker, people in our regions are fed up with seeing one set of rules for ordinary people and another set of rules for the Prime Minister's buddies. While families are cutting back on groceries and 2.2 million people are visiting food banks, the Liberal government found a way to help Brookfield, the Prime Minister's former company. This giant company hid profits in tax havens and dodged $6.5 …
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Mr. Speaker, December is shaping up to be the toughest month in decades. Back home, the director of Moisson Kamouraska told me that demand is literally exploding. Across Quebec, we are talking about 3.1 million requests in 2025. That is 37% more than in 2022. The demand for Christmas hampers is going to be off the charts. With the price of food going up, eating is becoming almost a luxury. The Lib…
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Madam Chair, like my colleague, I represent a region, Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, that is obviously very heavily forested. It borders the United States. In my region, as in his, jobs are extremely important in communities, especially smaller ones. He referred to some of the communities in his region. It is not just forestry jobs that are affected by the current U.S. tariffs…
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Mr. Chair, we listen to the industry just as much as the Bloc Québécois does. The Bloc Québécois do not know everything. We listen to industry as well. We proposed several measures to the government that it could have included in its budget to allow housing construction, such as cutting red tape. The idea is not to create new agencies for building houses. Public servants are already looking after …
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Mr. Chair, the answer is quite simple. We do not want more bureaucracy. What we want is to be able to build homes. Currently, the number of houses being built in Canada is at its lowest level since the 1970s. What has the Liberal government built? It has not built any houses during all these years. Instead, it has built bureaucracy. That makes no sense. All these bureaucrats are not the ones build…
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Mr. Chair, forestry is critically important in my riding. It is not complicated. We are right next to the United States, to the American border. I will give a very simple example. One of the largest manufacturers, Groupe Lebel, sources lumber from the United States, transports it to Saint‑Pamphile for processing and resells it to the United States. That means it is American lumber, not Canadian lu…
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Mr. Chair, I want to mention that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from North Island—Powell River. Today, I am going to talk about my region, the Lower St. Lawrence and Chaudière‑Appalaches. It is a corner of the country filled with hard-working people, small businesses, rural roads and community pride. In short, people there just want to work and earn a decent living. The Lower St. Law…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister acts as though the public purse is his own personal credit card. The result is that Canadians are falling further into debt and paying more for everything. To make matters worse, the Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that the Prime Minister has scrapped the plan to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio, a crucial commitment if we want to ensure that Canada does not end …
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague is trying to defend the indefensible, but the facts speak for themselves. Fitch Ratings, which assesses our credit rating, issued a warning, in black and white, that the country's finances run a high risk of further deterioration because of this government's reckless spending. Rather than spewing more rhetoric, can my colleague explain why this government is completely ig…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for this wonderful bill, which I believe everyone in this chamber should support. There is an organization in my riding called Chain of Life. Its president and founder, Lucie Dumont, created it to promote organ donation. My colleague mentioned education. Chain of Life aims to educate young people, aged 15 to 17, in English classes and takes that oppo…
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Mr. Speaker, although our ridings border each other, it is extremely rare that I agree with my colleague. Today, I am unfortunately forced to agree with him. In addition to running a deficit of nearly $80 billion, this budget contains nothing for our regions, absolutely nothing. The government says that this budget includes investments in major infrastructure, but sadly, there is very little for Q…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's deficit budget passes the bill on to current and future taxpayers. Meanwhile, Canadians are being forced to put almost 50% more of their expenses on their credit cards. The Fitch credit rating agency has warned that federal finances run a high risk of further deterioration. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says that borrowing costs are going to rise. How many more…
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Mr. Speaker, clearly this parliamentary secretary is out of touch with the reality on the ground, especially in the regions. According to a Nanos poll, one in five Canadians skipped paying a bill just to be able to put food on the table. Frankly, that is unacceptable. Can the Prime Minister explain to my voters and to Liberal voters why he is insisting on keeping the industrial carbon tax while fa…
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Mr. Speaker, this is the most expensive government in Canadian history. Every dollar the Prime Minister spends comes directly out of the pockets of Canadians. The more he spends, the more it costs. In my riding's agricultural regions, farmers' costs are skyrocketing because of the industrial carbon tax. Fertilizer, farm equipment and transportation: The cost of everything is going up. It is costin…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals had the opportunity to lighten the load on Canadians, but since this Prime Minister came to power, prices have skyrocketed. Strawberries cost 25% more, beef costs 25% more and coffee costs 20% more. It is unbelievable. The industrial carbon tax is widening the price gap with the United States and will keep food inflation high. These are not my words, but the words of Prof…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have tabled the most costly budget with the biggest deficit in Canadian history, outside of the pandemic. The cost of their budget will drive up the cost of food, housing and everything Canadians need. Our families are paying the price at the grocery store for the industrial carbon tax, which the government has increased. A few weeks ago, I asked the government a question…
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Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to negotiate a favourable agreement with the United States on softwood lumber. Unfortunately, he failed to do so. When he took office, U.S. tariffs were at 14%. Now they are at 45%. Under this Prime Minister, tariffs have tripled, and our workers are the ones paying the price. In communities like Saint‑Pamphile, Daaquam, Lots‑Renversés and Saint‑Juste‑du‑…
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Mr. Speaker, rent in Quebec has jumped by almost 10%, which is double the national average over the past year. After 10 years of Liberal deficits, everything costs more; I have seen it with my own eyes and I am seeing it on the ground. Last week, at a gas station in La Pocatière, one of my constituents asked me why the Liberals are spending billions on things that do nothing to help her family, wh…
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Mr. Speaker, last week in Montmagny, Rivière‑du‑Loup and Témiscouata‑sur‑le‑Lac, I met families who are struggling to make ends meet. This should not be the case in a country like ours. However, Quebec is seeing inflation rise to 3.3% because of this inflationary Liberal government. As a result, gas prices are out of control, rents have gone up 10% in the past year, and the cost of groceries has s…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada still has the slowest economic growth of the G7 and the second-highest unemployment rate. Worse still, things are not getting any better today. The unemployment rate remains stuck at 7% and, despite all the Liberal promises, only 22,000 net new jobs were created since January. The cherry on top is that the Prime Minister wants to send $1 trillion to the United States. Why is th…
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Mr. Speaker, they can applaud themselves all they want, but the reality is that we are shedding jobs in Canada, in our regions. The reality is that factories are closing and small and medium-sized businesses are struggling. Not everyone is making ends meet. What is the Prime Minister doing? He is investing $1 trillion in the United States instead of helping workers here in Canada. Why is the Prime…
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Mr. Speaker, since this Liberal Prime Minister took office, federal spending has skyrocketed. Spending on consultant contracts went from $19 billion to $26 billion. Since Mr. Trudeau left, and despite this Liberal government's promises, the deficit has increased from $42 billion to $62 billion. The result is more inflation, fewer jobs and a downturn in the economy. It is not surprising that the pe…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are deliberately turning a blind eye if they think that everything is going well for the people of Canada. Clearly, that is not the case. More people are being forced to steal in grocery stores. That is nothing new. Shoplifting has been around for a long time, but due to the pressure on all Canadians, some families have to shoplift in grocery stores if they want to eat. I…
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Mr. Speaker, this is my first time rising in the House this fall. Unfortunately, in the spring, I did not have the opportunity to thank my constituents, who re-elected me on April 28 with a very clear majority. I am extremely proud to represent them and to be here in the House of Commons for them. I thank them for their trust. Food inflation has become one of the most painful realities for familie…
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Mr. Speaker, every political party makes its own choices about which policies it wants to put forward. The Conservative Party's priority is to put more money in Canadians' pockets by cutting taxes. My colleague can choose to disagree with that. He can tell his constituents why they are paying more and more for the food on their plates, because he is going to hear about it. People in Lac-Saint-Jean…
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Mr. Speaker, I have been to Lac-Saint-Jean many times. People have F-150s and big GM and Dodge trucks parked in their driveways. That town probably has the highest concentration of trucks in Quebec. There are hunters and fishers. It is a beautiful region for hunting and fishing. Yes, I can guarantee that these people would like to see a drop in gas prices. It is just that no one has ever talked to…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague talks of past mistakes made by the Conservatives. I have to tell him, in all honesty, that what the Liberals have done over the past 10 years is make one mistake after nother. They welcomed so many people to Canada that now they are forced to send some back, like the temporary foreign workers. We are hearing heart-wrenching horror stories about families being separated, a…
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Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Liberals have been pursing soft-on-crime policies with lenient sentences and a catch-and-release approach that puts dangerous repeat offenders back on our streets, often within hours of being arrested. As a result, violent crime has increased by 55%, while dangerous repeat offenders roam our streets freely instead of serving their sentences behind bars. Why does this…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to protect Canadians, but instead they are weakening our laws, paving the way for repeat offenders and blocking meaningful solutions proposed by the opposition. Our motion today is very clear: Three serious offences and game over. No bail, no house arrest, no probation. They get 10 years behind bars to protect Canadian families. When will this government finally …
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Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to proudly recognize several organizations in my riding that are celebrating important anniversaries and that, each in their own way, contribute to the vitality of our communities. Cercle de fermières de Kamouraska is celebrating its 70th anniversary of sharing knowledge and solidarity. Club des 50 ans et plus de Squatec is celebrating its 50th anniversary, as is M…
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Mr. Speaker, it has been six months and the Prime Minister has still not presented a budget. As a result, the projected deficit is more than double what the Liberals themselves predicted. The Bank of Canada just announced that core inflation is 50% higher than what it had targeted. These deficits are driving inflation, and Canadian families are paying the price at the grocery store every week. The…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister is full of broken promises: taxes, spending, consultants, U.S. relations. The list goes on. Meanwhile, Canadians are paying more and more at the grocery store. The price of beef is up 34%, oranges are up 26%, apples are up 18%, and infant formula is up almost 9%. Enough with the rhetoric and the broken promises. Will the Prime Minister finally table a real b…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised Canadians $825 a year in tax cuts. As the Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed, this was another broken promise. The average Canadian will save $90 this year. That amounts to about $7 a month. For low-income seniors, the situation is even worse. They get $50 a year, or about $4 to $5 a month. It is crazy. That is not enough to buy a cup of coffee. Did the P…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure is saying that housing prices do not need to come down. That comes as no surprise from a person sitting on a $10-million real estate fortune. He owns a $3‑million estate in Tofino, a $5.6‑million home in Squamish and a luxury penthouse in Vancouver. Meanwhile, in Quebec, young people are stuck living in their parents' basements, unabl…
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Mr. Speaker, I will ask my colleague, who is also my riding neighbour, whether he has had the chance to hear the amendment we proposed this morning and whether he agrees with it. I would like him to give us an answer.
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Mr. Speaker, this morning we tabled a potential amendment to the Bloc Québécois motion. When I asked the member for Rimouski—La Matapédia a question, he responded by talking about respect for provincial jurisdiction. We obviously respect provincial jurisdiction. I would nevertheless like to hear the opinion of my colleague from Abitibi—Témiscamingue on the motion we moved this morning.
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