Parliamentary Speeches
172 speeches by Caroline Desrochers — Page 1 of 4
Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I do not know where my colleague is getting his information, but I would encourage him to refresh his search skills, because then he would see that we added 88,000 new jobs to the economy, that the cost of rent is starting to drop and that wages are on the rise. However, we know that too many Canadians are still unable to cope with the high cost of living. We cut taxes for 22 million …
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Mr. Speaker, I am curious about something. If the Conservatives are so constructive, I would like the member to tell me, of the hundreds of hours the Conservatives spent speaking on this bill in committee, how many minutes, because, yes, we are talking in terms of minutes, were spent discussing the actual subject at hand.
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Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 250th anniversary of the battle of Trois‑Rivières, a historic milestone that occurred on June 8, 1776, in my beautiful riding. At the time, the American colonies were trying to make Canada and Quebec their fourteenth colony. However, they suffered a crushing defeat at Trois‑Rivières and retreated. That battle marked a turning point. It helped to preserve our identi…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking my excellent colleague, the parliamentary secretary, and Minister Robertson, of course. It is a pleasure to work with them.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Bill C-26, an act to authorize certain payments to be made out of the consolidated revenue fund for the purpose of improving housing supply. This bill would authorize the Minister of Finance to make immediate payments to the provinces and territories to support measures aimed at increasing the housing supply. The proposed funding of more than $1.7 billion wo…
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Mr. Speaker, Build Canada Homes is not yet a Crown corporation. In fact, we are awaiting the Senate's approval of Bill C-20. Yes, this remains one of Build Canada Homes' commitments. We are working very closely, in fact, with the Société d'habitation du Québec on all projects from Quebec that are submitted to Build Canada Homes. We work jointly and are in regular contact with all the organizations…
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Mr. Speaker, I will reiterate what my colleague on the other side of the House said. Yes, the Conservatives talk about it every day in the House, but they do not do anything to support the arguments they are making in the House today. They voted against Build Canada Homes. They voted against the national school food program. They voted against the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. They vote…
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Mr. Speaker, I find my colleague's remarks odd. She knows full well that we are focused on finding solutions to homelessness. She sits with me on the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, where we discuss this issue. She also knows full well that Build Canada Homes was set up with over $1 billion for transition houses. Mor…
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Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said earlier, we are already seeing the results of these announcements. However, developers are telling us that they need certainty that this bill will pass and that the funding will actually get out the door. That is what they are waiting for. That is what is making them nervous right now. They testified before the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Soc…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows full well that we never said the government was going to build 500,000 homes. Our job is to bring together the conditions needed for the market to build them. The homes themselves will be built by developers and builders. We are working with the provinces to create a regulatory framework that will keep things moving quickly and put financial tools in place to get pr…
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Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a serious and urgent problem, and it is a shame that it is being politicized today. Canadians deserve safe, stable housing, and that is why we are going ahead with the national housing strategy, which includes an action plan to address homelessness. That is why we are investing more than $1 billion under Build Canada Homes to build transitional housing. That is why we …
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Mr. Speaker, our new government has been very focused on securing the Arctic and unlocking the north's potential over the past year. I am wondering whether my colleague can tell us a bit more about how the agreement before us today will support Canada's broader objective of defending, developing and transforming the north.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her leadership and her work on this file. This is truly the result of many years of hard work. I am wondering whether my colleague can tell us a little more about the consultation process that led to the drafting of this bill.
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Mr. Speaker, today, I am pleased to welcome a group of young people from Trois‑Rivières to Ottawa along with Carrefour jeunesse-emploi de Trois-Rivières. This visit is a great opportunity for these youths to better understand how our democratic institutions work, to learn more about the role of parliamentarians and to see how decisions that affect their daily lives are made. Carrefour jeunesse-emp…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to speak today about the importance of ferry services in Canada and reaffirm our government's commitment to ensuring that these services remain reliable, affordable and sustainable for generations. Ferries are lifelines for communities, and they are a responsibility that the government takes seriously. From visiting friends and family to getting goods to market, Canadians and b…
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Mr. Speaker, I really enjoyed working with my colleague on Bill C‑20 at the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. He asked good questions. We really felt that he truly wanted to understand. After listening to him today, however, I have to wonder whether we were on the same committee or heard from the same witnesses. I find…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his work and for his advocacy on this important issue. As I mentioned before, ferry services in Canada are a lifeline for communities to get goods to market and support the economy. BC Ferries is one of the largest ferry operators in the world. It provides an essential public service that plays a critical role in the day-to-day lives of British Columbians, in …
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Mr. Speaker, what my colleague failed to mention is that, tomorrow, 12 million Canadians, including thousands of people in his riding, will receive the first Canada groceries and essentials benefit payment. This is the kind of concrete action our government is taking to help make life affordable. This is the kind of program the Conservatives disparage here, day in and day out. They should not be l…
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Mr. Speaker, while the people on that side try to manufacture a crisis, we are making the necessary investments to strengthen our communities. More than $2.5 billion was announced this week for post-secondary campuses, community centres and infrastructure across Quebec. More than $1 billion over three years is being allocated with the Government of Quebec to modernize and expand our hospitals and …
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Mr. Speaker, we are still hearing rhetoric from the other side. On this side of the House, we know that the cost of housing and food are the biggest expenses for families. That is why we cut taxes for 22 million Canadians and why a groceries benefit for 12 million Canadians will be deposited into their accounts next week. We also put in place a school food program for 400,000 children. We created …
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives think that if they repeat their message day after day, Canadians will eventually believe that they truly care about affordability. On this side of the House, we are working on real measures to tackle the affordability issue. We have eliminated the gas tax. We have introduced the Canada groceries and essentials benefit and the Canada national school food program. We a…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his speech and congratulate him. I really enjoy working with him. The economic statement refers to the electrification strategy and the strategy to protect nature. We are maintaining our international investments. We are also investing in clean infrastructure. Does my colleague agree with those investments?
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Mr. Speaker, the member keeps talking about getting a deal, any deal, with the American administration, but I do not think this is what Canadians want. At a time when Canadians are facing heightened affordability pressures from sources beyond our control, it is more important than ever—
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Mr. Speaker, in 2015, according to another statistic I would like to remind my colleague of, the child poverty rate was 16%. Today, it has fallen below 10%. That is exactly what we are doing: We are lifting people out of poverty. Although I know it is my colleague's turn to ask a question, I would like him to tell me where he would make budget cuts. Every day, we are told that we are doing nothing…
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Just recently, the Minister of Industry and I were in my riding to annunce a $35‑million investment in Kruger to help this company diversify its production line and create market opportunities for Canada's forest products, which is another industry that is struggling right now. In the economic statement, the government announced the Canada Strong fund, a sovereign wealth fund with $25 billion in i…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question. When I talk to my constituents, they tell me not to take them for fools, because they know full well that the Conservatives do not care about affordability or the social programs we are putting forward. That is what my constituents are telling me. They know that we are here to support Canadians by eliminating the gas tax, by providing t…
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Mr. Speaker, I understand that it is hard for them to come up with a plan that makes sense. That is exactly what we are proposing: a plan that makes sense. I repeat, we have announced $1.5 billion to help the industries most affected by the trade war. We are investing in our infrastructure to build the Canada of tomorrow. We are going to train 100,000 youths in specialized trades to put them at th…
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Mr. Speaker, the member is saying it is not true. Yes, it is. It is more important than ever that we find opportunities for improvement that are within our control. We need to control what we can. We know that Canadians are feeling the pressure of everyday expenses right now, especially when it comes to the cost of fuel. Canadians and consumers around the world are facing higher prices at the pump…
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Mr. Speaker, the measures in the recent spring economic update are part of the next step in our plan to build a stronger, more independent and resilient Canada for all, because we do have a plan on this side of the House. It would advance our progress in building more affordable homes and the major infrastructure that transforms and connects our economy, while bringing down costs to help people ge…
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Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is focused on making housing more affordable and on making home buying more attainable for Canadians. Through budget 2025, we are making generational investments of $25 billion over five years for housing and $115 billion over five years for infrastructure. These strategic investments will build major infrastructure and homes, and create lasting prosperity, em…
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Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to solving the housing crisis. We are working together with all our partners to use every tool available and get the job done. The housing accelerator fund and the apartment construction loan program are just some of the key programs that are helping Canadians and helping developers get apartments and homes built. Build Canada Homes is going to pa…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for bringing members into the House, and I thank my colleagues for being here today. When I went out to meet with people, the number one issue I heard about was the cost of living, which folks are concerned about. However, contrary to what our Conservative colleagues like to claim about us living in a vacuum, my constituents understand that the global context is h…
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Mr. Speaker, it is with great humility and pride that I rise today, as the member for Trois-Rivières, to speak to the 2026 spring economic update and to share what I have heard in my riding, as well as the commitments and actions our government is taking to represent the people of our communities. First, I want to talk about pride—pride in what I heard while going door to door, pride in our govern…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his truly important speech. How many times does he think this issue has been raised, and how many times has it been addressed in the House over the past few months? The same question is asked day after day, and we answer it every time. As my colleague just mentioned, the Prime Minister has clearly set out the government's position on this matter.…
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have been very clear about their austerity agenda but we are still waiting to hear which projects they would cut. We hope they can tell us. Would they cut $1-billion infrastructure agreement we reached with Quebec? Would they cut the expansion of the Port of Montreal in Contrecoeur? Would they cut the 865 housing units we just announced to help people in vulnerable s…
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Mr. Speaker, I know that the members across the way have a hard time with facts, especially when these facts involve math. Allow me to help them out a bit. We have reduced the deficit by $11 billion. We are the second-strongest economy in the G7. Most importantly, we are attracting more investment than we have in the past 20 years. How did we do it? While the Conservatives are busy repeating the s…
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Madam Speaker, I know that members on the other side of the House have trouble with the facts, but I am going to remind them of a few. Canada's fiscal position is the best in the G7. We are leading the G7 in investments. We have the second-strongest growth of the G7. On this side of the House, we are responding and adapting to a changing world. We are capable of imagining the future and making the…
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Madam Speaker, on this side of the House, we are here for Canadians. We understand that things are tough. That is why we lowered taxes, implemented the school food program and provided training for workers. We are here for Canadians. I want to ask my colleague, where would he cut? Would he cut the infrastructure agreements that we signed with Quebec? We gave them $1 billion. Would he make cuts to …
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Madam Speaker, it is very rich to hear this debate today. The Conservatives are still refusing to come clean with Canadians about where it is they plan to cut. The member is from Newfoundland and Labrador. Will he say what project the Conservatives are going to pull the plug on and tell workers to go home? Is it the Marina Redmond Centre in Corner Brook? Is it the Build Canada Homes announcement o…
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Madam Speaker, the Conservatives have always been very clear about their austerity agenda, but we are still waiting to find out which projects they intend to cut and in which communities. Would you make cuts in your constituency, which I visited a few weeks ago for the opening of affordable housing projects for seniors and students? Would you cut the infrastructure agreement with the Government of…
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Madam Speaker, what I find really unfortunate is that the official opposition has about 15 days a year to bring intelligent debate to the House. On top of that, they have about 45 minutes a day to hold the government to account. However, instead of engaging in real debates and real discussions, they spend their time reciting slogans and criticizing everything the government does. Today, we spent t…
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Mr. Speaker, it is with tremendous pride that I highlight the victory of the Patriotes of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, who were crowned Canadian university hockey champions a few weeks ago. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the talent, discipline and determination of our student athletes, who represented Trois‑Rivières with honour and passion. Throughout their journey, th…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, during the last election, we committed to making Canada a clean and a conventional energy superpower. Canadians elected us on that promise, and we are already delivering on that mandate. The projects referred to the Major Projects Office represent hundreds of billions of dollars in direct investment and tens of thousands of jobs. In this time of energy uncertainty, Canada is a beaco…
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Madam Speaker, we have been making representations in Washington that the tariffs are unjustifiable, and we welcome the members' engagement in ensuring that we continue to advocate and put forward the position of the government. This is work that we need to do together. That is not happening right now, and members know it. We are not doing this in a concerted way. We are not doing this in a team C…
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Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I take a moment today to highlight World Plumbing Day. Plumbers play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of our communities every day. Their work helps to ensure that we have access to clean water every day in our schools, homes, workplaces and more. Canada's plumbing professionals are also advancing modern conservation, energy efficiency and in…
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Mr. Speaker, I will share my time with the member for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski. I am very proud to have this opportunity to talk about Bill C-20, the Build Canada Homes act, and why Build Canada Homes plays an important role in supporting the Canadian economy and the federal government's buy Canadian policy. Launched in September 2025, Build Canada Homes is a special operating agency that, thank…
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Mr. Speaker, the housing crisis is real, and we have to deal with it. We really need to think outside the box. We need to try something different. Clearly, what has been done so far has not worked. Some very good projects have been launched since 2017 under Canada's national housing strategy. Hundreds of homes have been built. Now we have to tackle the issue of affordability. That is what we are d…
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Mr. Speaker, it is really ironic to hear the Conservatives talk about ideology and pretend to defend young Canadians, when they voted against all measures to improve housing affordability for young Canadians. They voted against GST cuts for first-time homebuyers, against expanding mortgage criteria, against first home savings accounts and, most recently, against Bill C-227, which proposed a housin…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague raises an important issue. We must ensure that Build Canada Homes also responds to the realities of rural regions and remote communities. This is extremely important to me, and I often bring it up in conversations. Right now, Build Canada Homes is exploring options to better support small municipalities, rural areas and remote communities in order to ensure that they have…
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Mr. Speaker, Build Canada Homes has been established very quickly. Very little time passed between when we made that commitment during the election campaign and when Build Canada Homes was launched in September. In addition, shovels will be in the ground soon. The process happened exceptionally fast because we know that there is a real crisis. We absolutely must propose concrete solutions, not jus…
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