Parliamentary Speeches
1,397 speeches by François-Philippe Champagne — Page 4 of 28
Government Orders
Madam Chair, I can imagine how pleased the people of Beauport—Limoilou are to hear their MP speak this evening. The Habs are not playing this evening, so I presume that a lot of people are watching their MP tonight. He is doing a great job. It is clear that, as the former president of the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie du Québec, he understands the issues. He is right. That is one thing that s…
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Mr. Chair, I think we need to modernize the way we are currently managing public assets in this country. I think it is important for the government to have all the facts and figures so that it can carry out a thorough analysis of these assets. I would say it is time to modernize the way we—
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Mr. Chair, we can see in my colleague's heart and voice, the passion he has for fishers and for their communities. I want to applaud him. I am sure the people he represents are very proud tonight. I want to thank all my colleagues who have shown up tonight to be here to do the important work of democracy, which is to be held to account. It is what I have been doing for hours, and I will continue t…
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Mr. Chair, I have good news for my colleague. In fact, we have received a record level of investment. I think it is the highest number in the last 20 years. I can reassure her that wherever I go internationally, people value the stability, predictability and opportunities they see in Canada. At this time, the executive director of the International Energy Agency has said that energy architecture i…
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Mr. Chair, it is pretty obvious when we say that it is going to come from the consolidated fund of Canada as seed money, but after that, obviously, the fund will have its own investment and will generate revenues that can be reinvested and create wealth for Canadians.
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Mr. Chair, as I said, it is important to get all the information necessary to do our due diligence. I think we are at a time when we need to modernize the way we manage public assets. This measure will allow us to get all the facts and provide a comprehensive analysis so we can make the best decisions in the interest of Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, I recognize the wisdom behind my colleague's question. Yes, when it was time to stand up for Canadians, the Conservatives remained seated. When it was time to stand up for families, the Conservatives were nowhere to be found. I remember the votes. It is important to vote for affordability at every opportunity. My colleague is right. What I saw with him in New Brunswick, we are seeing …
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear that my Conservative colleague realizes the reality in this country. He is right to say that what concerns Canadians is the price of rent, the price of food and the price of gas. I am sure he is going to go back to his constituents soon, and the good news is that he will be able to explain to them that in fact the Government of Canada has already acted to provide mor…
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Madam Chair, as members are well aware, the Ethics Commissioner is independent from the government. He is an officer of Parliament who does the important job of advising my colleagues here and fulfilling that role. The Ethics Commissioner has the resources he needs to fulfill his important role in our democracy.
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Madam Chair, I am so happy to have that line of questioning. I almost hope that time would stop for a minute, because honestly, I could go on and on. Let us talk about Volkswagen, one of the largest automakers when we landed the gigafactory. It is the largest gigafactory outside of Europe of Volkswagen. In which country did they decide to put it? It was in Canada. It is amazing that, for the first…
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Madam Chair, I would add to my colleague's statement by saying that you are deeply appreciated by everyone in the House.
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Madam Chair, my colleague will be pleased to learn that we have invested several billion dollars to support workers during these challenging times. My colleague knows this very well, as he is from Quebec. We have seen many industries affected by the unfair tariffs imposed by our American neighbours. The government's response was to help our workers and our industries, particularly Quebec's lumber …
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear from my colleague this morning, but I am a little surprised by his comments. The people in his riding are capable of keeping things in perspective. First, I want to congratulate him on becoming a grandfather. He will be happy to know that we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7 for his grandson or granddaughter. We know people are watching us at home…
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Madam Chair, what this means is that everyone can find ways to improve efficiency. As I believe I have said, citizens have been tightening their belts for quite some time. It is only natural that we also ask federal institutions to tighten theirs. I know my colleague is familiar with a tool called technology. There are technologies available today that allow us to do things better and faster. We a…
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On the contrary, Madam Chair, I would say that this government is making significant investments. More than $50 billion was allocated in the last budget. The amounts that we discussed with our provincial counterparts were mentioned. My colleague will be pleased because I have a confession to make tonight: At Quebec's request, we have even decided to invest in health infrastructure, which was a req…
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Madam Chair, I believe it is common knowledge that there is a connection between this company and me. What I can say is that this government is proud to be making generational investments in infrastructure from coast to coast to coast. I believe my colleague has noted that some of the major projects we need to carry out across this country include investments in housing, investments in infrastruct…
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Mr. Chair, let me talk about Volkswagen for a minute. I can see the smile coming back on the member's face, because Volkswagen will be one of the largest industrial sites in North America. She should be celebrating. I am sure she likes St. Thomas and southwestern Ontario as well. This is going to be an investment that is generational. If she had been with us when we announced that in St. Thomas, s…
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Madam Chair, I have an excellent relationship with my colleagues in the Quebec government, and this is one of the topics we are discussing. I can reassure my Bloc Québécois colleague that communications with the Government of Quebec are going very well. I have frequent discussions with my Quebec counterparts. We will continue to work in the interest of Quebeckers and all Canadians. I think that my…
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Madam Chair, I am sure my colleague knows that, under Canada's free trade agreement with the United States and Mexico, 85% of Canadian exports have exemptions and that Canada has one of lowest tariff rates overall, at around 5%. We will always be here to stand up for the interests of our industries, including culture, of course, as well as film. We are here to stand up for all industries and worke…
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Madam Chair, I am pleased to say that the hon. member will see from the estimates that have been tabled that the measure he is referring to is indeed included in the economic statement I presented in the spring. He will be able to see for himself, in the estimates tabled in the House, the amounts that will be allocated specifically to support this program for journalists.
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Madam Chair, my colleague will be pleased to know that, when we conducted our exercise to identify $60 billion in savings within the federal government, we took great care to protect investments in research and innovation. My colleague can rest assured that we have protected research and development because we know it is important not only for our communities but also for the future of the country…
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Mr. Chair, I would like to quote those words again because all manner of allegations can be made in this House, but what matters is the truth. The truth is in a message sent on April 7, 2026, by the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, which states, “Alto is a Crown corporation accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Transport, and as Minister of Finance, you have …
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Madam Chair, I would like to begin by thanking my colleague for being here this evening to ask his important question. I have already been in touch with the Government of Quebec and the other provincial governments to inform them of the amount that will be allocated. In the spirit of co-operative federalism, at the request of our provincial colleagues, we allowed the provinces to use these amounts…
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Madam Chair, obviously I object to the wording of my colleague's question. I believe the language goes far beyond his intention, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt. He knows that we will always be here to work in the best interests of all Canadians, including Quebeckers. I myself am proud to represent one of the largest ridings in Quebec, Saint-Maurice—Champlain. I want to salute the peo…
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Madam Chair, my colleague will be happy to hear that we have made generational investments in housing, and in particular with respect to affordable housing. He will know about Build Canada Homes. This is the agency that is going to build more affordable homes in this country, and that is going to be a key pillar of affordability for families.
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Madam Chair, I am trying to understand the meaning of the question. What I can say is that my role as Minister of Finance and the government's role is to work in the interest of building the strongest economy in the country, standing up for the interests of workers and industries in this country, and certainly making generational investments that lead to economic growth across the country.
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Madam Chair, I thank the member for providing a very good summary to the House of the affordability measures we have presented. It is right to say that affordability is top of mind for the government. I would say it is top of mind for Canadians. The three issues when we talk about affordability with people are the cost of housing, the cost of food and the cost of gas. The good news is that we have…
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Madam Chair, I think the people watching us have been tightening their belts for quite some time now. I think it was perfectly normal for the government to undertake an exercise that will save $60 billion and tighten its belt. I think it is time for us to tighten our belts in Ottawa too. That is exactly what I was able to do with my colleagues. We identified $60 billion in savings to streamline th…
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Madam Chair, I will be happy to remind my colleague, who is a learned member of the House, that we have two fiscal anchors. One is a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio. The other is to balance the operating budget with revenues by 2028-29. Those are the two fiscal anchors of the Government of Canada.
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Madam Chair, I assume the member will be very happy to vote for Bill C-30. For those who are watching, this is the bill that will, in effect, put in law the suspension of the excise fuel tax, which is going to be very relevant for Canadians across the country as we walk into summer.
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Madam Chair, my colleague would understand that this is exactly why we suspended the excise fuel tax of 10¢, and four cents for diesel. We understand, obviously, that this is going to have an impact for consumers. That is the kind of measure that the International Monetary Fund has been calling very targeted and time-limited in the way that we have proposed it.
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Madam Chair, my colleague will be happy to report to his constituents that on June 5 the Canada groceries and essentials benefit will be helping 12 million Canadians. I am sure that among these 12 million Canadians there are constituents of my colleague's. This is the kind of boost that families need, and I expect my colleague will vote for Bill C-30 to put that measure in place.
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Madam Chair, the member will be pleased to hear that the International Monetary Fund just stated that Canada has the strongest fiscal position in the G7. Actually, we have the second-fastest growth in the G7. I am sure that my colleague will be happy to report to his constituents that the country is on a good fiscal track.
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Madam Chair, my colleague will be happy to hear that Build Canada Homes, this new agency, has been tasked to build all the affordable homes that are going to be needed in this country. This is a game-changer for Canadians. It is a pillar of affordability, and we have made generational investments in housing.
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Madam Chair, the member will be happy to hear that the housing measures from 2026 to 2030‑31 will total $56 billion. This is probably one of the largest investments in housing that we have seen in this country. This is going to help families, because we know that housing is a pillar of affordability.
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Madam Chair, I would be pleased to come testify in committee. However, as my colleague said, I made a commitment to find a solution in the interest of the people of Laval. That is exactly what we did, to the satisfaction of the mayor of Laval, Mr. Boyer, who personally expressed his appreciation for the work we accomplished together to resolve this situation.
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Madam Chair, in the spirit of teaching my colleague some of the facts, let me quote Kevin Page. He said, “The hard target of a balanced operating budget in 2028‑29 will put more constraints on the government than would fiscal rules tied to changes in the size of the economy”. This is coming from Kevin Page.
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Mr. Chair, I think the question was around the auto strategy. Since I was the industry minister at the time, yes, I think the investments we have made and the attraction of investment was the right thing. I believe that electrification is our north star. I am mindful that there have been delays in some plants and some adoption. This is not unique to Canada. We have seen that in a number of G7 coun…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague's question also gives me the opportunity to speak in the language of Molière, whom we all admire here in the House. The Bloc Québécois members may not have said it yet, but I look at them this morning and I can see it in their smiles and in their hearts. I think they are going to vote for Bill C-30 because they know that Quebeckers need this help. I believe that, as membe…
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Mr. Chair, based on the answers I gave earlier, my colleague will understand that these questions should be directed to the Minister of Transport, who is the minister responsible for this project.
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Mr. Chair, I am happy to say that the foreign direct investment inflow in Canada in 2025 was $97 billion. Investors around the world see what Canada has to offer. We have one of the most educated workforces. We have very strong industry. We have critical minerals. We have energy, and we are the only country in the G7 with free trade with all other G7 nations. We have what we need to succeed.
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Mr. Chair, my colleague will have the opportunity to vote on legislation that would certainly help to build more in this country, and I think that is what we want to see. We are united in wanting to see more infrastructure and more investment in this country, and it is a great thing for international investors. Like I said, in 2025, FDI inflow was $97 billion. That is a record.
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Madam Chair, my colleague will be pleased to see that, in fact, the projected deficit is $11 billion lower than what was projected in budget 2025. Under my leadership, we have presented a deficit that is $11 billion lower. Agencies around the world have seen that Canada has taken a serious position on taxation, that we are fiscally responsible and that we are acting with the rigour that the curren…
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Mr. Chair, it is refreshing to hear a colleague who was once a minister of finance talk to us about issues and real things. I think that the people of Laval must be very proud to hear my colleague share his experience. It is a great privilege to serve with a colleague who was once the finance minister of a great province like Quebec. I salute him and thank him for his economic statement. He is rig…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that important question. I am grateful to her. She has always encouraged the House to consider measures that will help Canadians across the country. She will be pleased to learn that, as I was saying, in the 2026 spring economic update, we actually put two-thirds of that $7 billion in additional revenue toward helping people. We are helping them …
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Madam Chair, my colleague may not like my answer, but I know Canadians would like to know that housing is a priority for the government. We have made generational investments, and $56 billion will be invested during this fiscal framework to support housing in this country. As we understand, it is a pillar of affordability.
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Mr. Chair, I know that my colleague is an experienced member of the chamber. He is making allegations. It is not the first time that he has made allegations like this, but I think he should be careful in his line of questioning. At the same time, he should realize that the space industry is a great place to invest.
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Madam Chair, again, it is going to be a very interesting evening. I look forward to the question because, in fact, what I was saying is that the debt charges, as a percentage of GDP, are not only lower than they were in the 1990s, but they are below the historical average of 40 years, which was 3.2%. I think the member should be happy to see that the country is on a very solid fiscal track.
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Madam Chair, the member is a very experienced member of this House. He would probably know that there have been a number of challenges with respect to the supply chain and that we are living through the most important energy crisis we have seen. Therefore, we have seen inflation, not only in Canada, in food prices, but—
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Mr. Chair, I think Canadians understand the world is changing and that we as Canadians need to ensure the sovereignty of our territory. We need to protect our north. We need to protect our communities. Canada as a NATO member is willing to do its part, and we have made record investments to protect our country.
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