Government Orders
Madam Speaker, in the House we often hear the Conservatives argue against carbon pollution pricing by saying that the continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions is proof it does not work. I have explained to my Conservative colleagues on several occasions, in the lobbies, that emissions could have risen even more if not for the carbon tax, but that does not seem to have worked. I know that my coll…
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Madam Speaker, in looking at the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report on the cost of the biofuels measure, it is clear that these costs are quite high for households, particularly in provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and Alberta. The provinces with the largest oil and gas industries, and where people rely heavily on oil, are basically paying for this measure. Is it not time w…
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Madam Speaker, today, during a Conservative opposition day, I heard and carefully listened to many unreasonable arguments. I have to say that, like my colleague, I represent an agricultural riding, and even though I do not share his conclusions, there are several interesting elements in his speech. However, he told us that the carbon tax was a bad thing for our farmers because our international co…
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Madam Speaker, I am astounded by the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge's convoluted logic. He started his speech by telling us Canada is known for the quality of its democracy and that people trust it. Then, he went on for 10 minutes talking about generalities just to end up telling us that we do not need a public inquiry. Basically, what he was saying is that Canadian democracy is like good wine. Sin…
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Madam Speaker, Laval University professor Eric Montigny is calling for a public inquiry today in an open letter. He states that “holding a public inquiry into foreign interference must first be seen as an exercise in protecting Canadians' confidence in Canadian democracy.” What the Liberals are doing today, in pointing the finger at the Bloc Québécois, the Conservative Party and the NDP instead of…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to read from an open letter written by Eric Montigny, professor of political science at Laval University, published in today's La Presse: [The Prime Minister] has mastered the art of stalling for time. When controversy tarnishes his government, he usually resorts to the same strategy: first, play down the scope of the scandal and then sit tight while the storm blows ove…
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Mr. Chair, this is the first government budget that we could describe as a postpandemic budget. Obviously no one here in Parliament is to blame for the virus. However, the programs that might have helped us to get through the pandemic at the time are the responsibility of this Parliament. We need to learn important lessons and make corrections. We also need to prepare for the next crisis that coul…
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Mr. Chair, before the Axworthy reform of the 1990s, 64% of Canadians were covered by EI; today, 40% are covered. Does the minister believe that going from 60% to 40% is the right way to help the unemployed who have bad luck in the labour market?
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Mr. Chair, the minister confirmed that she supports the ongoing underfunding and that she also borrowed on behalf of the provinces. This is not a gift from the federal government. The money that the federal government sent during the pandemic was borrowed money. Now there is no money for health care, but there is money for a dental plan. This is being done with the help of the federal spending pow…
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Mr. Chair, I like clear answers. Do the minister and her government plan to offer the Government of Quebec the right to opt out with full compensation? Yes or no?
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Mr. Chair, I notice that the longer the answers are, the more they seem like a “no” in disguise. We know that during the pandemic, health care was underfunded, that there was a shortage of hospital beds that led to people being turned away, and that the pandemic measures needed to be extended. If, during the pandemic, we had had a dental plan like the one the minister is planning, how many more ho…
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Mr. Chair, during the pandemic, we saw significant gaps in the social safety net, especially Canada's social safety net, which led to the use of a set of temporary measures. Naturally, all parties quickly agreed to them. One temporary measure after another was implemented. Ultimately, these measures were poorly targeted and very costly. Although it does not want to do so for China, does the govern…
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Mr. Chair, there is the EI spring gap for temporary workers. There is the problem of inadequate coverage through the EI system. There is the actuarial financing of the EI fund, which is poorly suited to economic cycles and major disasters like the one we just went through. We have been calling for EI reform for years. Since 2015, the Liberals have been promising EI reform, but we have seen nothing…
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Mr. Chair, indeed, just over $25 billion in additional funding was put into EI during the crisis. That was a small portion of the $250 billion to $300 billion that the Government of Canada spent to help Canadians and Quebeckers during the pandemic. For the other programs, unlike EI, Quebeckers and Canadians have decided to stand in solidarity and band together to cover all of these pandemic-relate…
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Mr. Chair, this budget allocates approximately $80 billion for so-called green subsidies. We do not know whether they are green or not because the government has always refused to define what constitutes an effective fossil fuel subsidy. Approximately 30% of these subsidies go directly to fossil fuels. That is approximately $24 billion to $25 billion. Is the Minister of Finance not embarrassed to …
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Mr. Chair, when it comes to the wage subsidy program, the government got helping workers confused with Halloween because the Liberal Party was caught with both hands in the candy bowl. Liberal Party of Canada employees received wage subsidies. Does the minister think that the political parties that benefited from wage subsidies should have to pay taxpayers back?
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Mr. Chair, this democratic chamber, the House of Commons, voted in favour of a bill introduced by my colleague from Lévis—Lotbinière, from the Conservative Party. This bill would enable people with very serious illnesses to receive 52 weeks of employment insurance sickness benefits. The minister is offering six months, but in many cases, including when chemotherapy is needed, treatments can last f…
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Mr. Chair, approximately 60% of workers who lose their jobs will not be covered by EI. Does the minister believe that to be a sufficient rate of coverage?
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Mr. Chair, the government continues to heavily subsidize fossil fuels with taxpayer money. For years, we have been waiting for a definition of an effective subsidy for fossil fuels. On two occasions in her reports, the Auditor General told us that she was not even able to evaluate whether subsidies were effective because the government had not even provided a definition. Can the minister today pro…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, there is an illegal dump in Kanesatake that for years has been contaminating the drinking water source of one million people. Obviously it is a complex problem, but it is a serious and urgent one that needs to be addressed. It is unacceptable to watch the federal government in the media abdicate its responsibilities and offload them to the Sûreté du Québec. The government has been pla…
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Mr. Speaker, the government needs to stop playing hot potato and show some leadership. In an interview with Radio-Canada, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations made these regrettable comments, and I quote: We must let go of this idea that every time there are two or three indigenous people involved in an issue, it is a federal problem. The community of Kanesatake is asking for help, and that …
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Madam Speaker, the Conservative Party sometimes insinuates that the Liberal government wanted to legalize all drugs. British Columbia, for example, decriminalized some substances so that people with addictions could be connected to the right resources and get the right care. Would the Conservative solution not end up packing prisons with people who have a serious health problem, thereby reinforcin…
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Madam Speaker, I have wanted to tell my colleague for a long time how much I enjoy listening to him speak. He is a talented speaker and a passionate individual. Despite our political differences, he often appeals to values that we have in common. He started his speech by referring to universal human dignity. In our view, one way to achieve that is to have universal health care. Right now, more tha…
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservative motion somehow implies that safe supply programs are not about fighting addiction, but really more about creating addiction. However, the evidence suggests that these programs are successful in reaching people with addictions more often on a daily basis, so that they can access more tailored recovery support services. I wonder if my colleague could comment on the bene…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, from September 8 to 10, my hon. colleagues are all invited to Volaria, the biggest air show in Quebec. Drawing over 50,000 visitors last year, this proudly Mirabel-based festival is shooting for the moon for its second edition, with an open-air museum, breathtaking air shows, a futuristic showcase featuring the latest advances in aerospace technology, a job fair, a family zone, a gour…
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Madam Speaker, I recognize that the subject can be sensitive for some, but the “racist” epithet used by the member for Timmins—James Bay who is attacking us on the basis of our deepest values—
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint‑Jean, whose tone is just as composed as that of the member for Repentigny. That is music to my ears because today we are talking about a very important topic. This is a subject that we need to be able to talk about calmly. In the last few days, as it happens on a regular basis, there have been slip-ups, particularly when it comes to implica…
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand that the member for Timmins—James Bay feels the need to socialize, but I think he should do so quietly.
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Madam Speaker, we are in a Parliament and we want to debate ideas. Earlier, the member for Jonquière demonstrated how important it is to do so in an appropriate and democratic manner. I listened to the NDP speeches, including the speech by the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie. These people are going to sit down with immigrants who have just arrived to warn them about us, saying that we are rac…
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Mr. Speaker, I will use this excellent question from the member for Hull—Aylmer to give a shout-out to all the African and Maghrebian students who have come to Quebec and whom I taught and helped with their integration. I can attest to the fact that they need guidance and support to integrate our culture and our society, which is generous and wants to benefit from all their skills while giving the…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am rising on a point of order. I know the topic is sensitive, but ever since the debate started, we have had to endure what we might describe as vocal interference from the Conservatives. I consider it my parliamentary right to be able to listen to the debate without disruption. In my opinion, this crosses a line and intervention may be appropriate.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague for his excellent speech. It is important to modernize regulations and to keep them up to date. It is important that they be simple, clear and identical in both languages. I am a member of the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations, and we often have to repeatedly ask departments and ministers to correct discrepancies between the Engli…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and for speaking French. It was excellent. The bill would repeal section 15 of the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act. As a result, regulatory changes to oil and gas operations would essentially no longer have to be published in Part I of the Canada Gazette. The Senate debates revealed that many regulations are irrelevant, no longer used and no lon…
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Madam Speaker, Bill S-6 contains a series of regulatory changes that could make life simpler for companies and the business community in Quebec and Canada. Not to make any assumptions, Madam Speaker, but you do not look like someone who would want to file two tax returns, because your time is valuable and you do not want to waste it doing the same thing twice. I know you do not want to file two ta…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to follow up on the question from the member for Kingston and the Islands. Clearly, the national housing strategy has been a failure. The Conservative strategy is to get back on track and attack our elected municipal officials by judging their work and telling them that they are not capable of making the right decisions. I would like to point out that the elected offici…
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Madam Speaker, I know that my colleague from Joliette is very passionate about the issue of tax evasion. I understand, because we are constantly told that there is not enough money for health transfers. We are told that there is not enough money for the provinces. However, at the same time, we are depriving ourselves of important sources of revenue. That said, with respect to tax evasion, there is…
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Madam Speaker, Bill S‑6 contains a lot of little regulatory changes that we are told can make a big difference for the business community. It seems to me that some big changes, like Quebec's independence, could eliminate some major duplication and simplify the lives of Canadians, Quebeckers and businesses. I am wondering whether my colleague can give us a few more examples on this lovely evening.
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Madam Speaker, there is the matter of the intergenerational transfer of businesses. That is a very important issue in agriculture. Some legislative amendments were made to change the way capital gains are treated, which makes intergenerational transfers more equitable. Now, many businesses are saying that this transfer has be done gradually. Sometimes, the parents let their children buy shares in …
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Madam Speaker, it is 10:20 p.m. on a Wednesday night. I know that members have been looking forward to the highlight of the evening, obviously my speech. I just want to take a moment to recognize the hard-working employees of the House who are with us this evening. I want to thank the pages in particular. We often forget about them, but they are here for us and they work with us. They are our work…
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Madam Speaker, I am not privy to the conversations and dealings that led to this situation. I will repeat what I said earlier. This is nonsense. When a bill is given second reading, we accept the principle and decide whether to refer it to committee for study, because we agree with the spirit of the bill, because it is a great idea. We are talking about small regulatory changes that affect a lot o…
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Madam Speaker, it is not necessarily that the parliamentary rules are poorly written. I certainly do not think that we should be muzzling members, shortening their speeches. I think that here in the House there are 338 intelligent people who are capable of mastering their content, who are willing to work for their constituents. If I did not have the highest regard for each and every member of the …
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Madam Speaker, I hope the interpretation services are paying attention because I will say this slowly. What I would do is take Quebec, leave Canada and there would no longer be a federal government. We would get rid of half the departments and we would be none the worse for it.
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Madam Speaker, on April 25, the Conservative member for Battlefords—Lloydminster said the following in the House: ...I am someone in this place who is on the record about respecting provincial jurisdiction. I believe provinces actually know better than the federal government does when it comes to their own jurisdiction and what works. Again, I respect provincial jurisdiction and provinces know wha…
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Madam Speaker, it will come as no surprise to anyone that the Quebec government wants full powers over immigration. Part of the housing crisis can be attributed to the fact that the construction of new housing has not kept up with population growth. Can my colleague not face the facts and recognize that it would be more efficient and more productive to give Quebec full control over its immigration…
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Madam Speaker, my esteemed colleague from Kenora must know that on April 24, 2023, his colleague from Beauce said in this House, “It has been clear from the start that this government does not trust the provincial and territorial governments to implement the programs themselves and that the ‘Ottawa knows best’ approach is the only way to manage these projects. If only the government had more faith…
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Madam Speaker, in the past, it has been common for the government to pass imperfect but still useful legislation and then tell us that it has done everything it can, it has taken action and there is nothing left to do. This was true in the case of the whistle-blower legislation, which was passed 17 years ago. It is full of flaws, but for 17 years, we have been told that the job is done, even thoug…
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Madam Speaker, allow me to return to the KPMG issue and the tax fraud scheme for which it faced criminal charges in the United States but was cleared of wrongdoing by the Canada Revenue Agency. At the time, we reminded the Minister of National Revenue that she had the power, by law, to launch an investigation that would have been led by a Tax Court of Canada judge. The minister still insists that …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the hon. member for Humber River—Black Creek, for introducing this bill. Let me begin by saying that vision health is important. Obviously, it is a component of overall health, but one that is often underestimated. My Conservative colleague has given some personal examples to show that quality of care can change lives and change people's quality of life. I than…
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Madam Speaker, in her speech, my colleague spoke about the gatekeepers of housing construction. This gives me an opportunity to remind her that Quebec is the only province with a permanent program for the construction of social housing among other things. With respect to housing construction, the worst gatekeeper for many years has been the federal conditions. The national housing strategy in part…
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Mr. Speaker, in one of his recent books, Michael Mann, a physicist at the University of Pennsylvania, said that the oil industry's primary strategy to deal with climate change was first to deny reality. Then, as the consequences of climate change became visible, the industry changed its strategy to mislead the public. It is trying to make us believe that there is hope that new technologies will em…
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