Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, many agricultural producers and agribusinesses in my riding are anxiously awaiting the arrival of foreign workers. Border security is paramount, and we need to be very careful about the variants. However, essential workers must be able to enter the country quickly. Our farmers are very worried. They need these workers now. The production cycle for our fruits and vegetables cannot be p…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, with whom I have the pleasure of serving on the Standing Committee on Official Languages. He is absolutely right about the fact that the Liberal government thinks this is so urgent that it has just imposed a gag order on us. I want to take this opportunity to give my colleague a message. I think it is unfortunate that the New Democra…
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Mr. Speaker, it is rather disappointing to see the government bring in time allocation to restrict, or even muzzle, parliamentarians in their debate on a very important bill. The environment is very important. I have said this many times and I cannot stress it enough. I want all Liberals and everyone to understand that our party, the Conservative Party of Canada, recognizes climate change. Our lea…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change is unilaterally imposing a gag order on Parliament, in other words, muzzling all the members who want to have their say, when this is such an important issue. The Liberals have been in power for six years. Why is this minister forcing members to keep their mouths shut and not have this debate? I would remind the m…
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Madam Speaker, I salute my colleague from Nanaimo—Ladysmith. We must act now if we want to have an impact as quickly as possible. We have had a health crisis. The current government was slow to react and to close the border, but it did react eventually. If we want to do something about the climate crisis, we must act very quickly.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, there is a problem with the interpretation. I believe I have the right to hear what my colleague is saying. Would it be possible to check that everything is working?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to apologize for my previous intervention. In response to the question by my colleague from Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, I would say that unfortunately, the government has broken its promises yet again. Tree planting is a tangible measure. Carbon capture from planting trees has a positive impact. Every environmentalist and every scientist agrees with that. I would like to inform m…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Lac-Saint-Louis. Had my colleague listened to my speech, he would have known that I said we need to work with all stakeholders in the industries involved. Workers want to have an impact. They want to contribute, but they are not represented on the advisory body. Oil and gas industry representatives are not part of the process. Your government says it is inc…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, what is unfortunate about this Liberal government is that it has once again abandoned Quebec and the fight to protect the French language. There was nothing in this week's budget about providing tools to protect and promote French in Quebec. The Minister of Official Languages was present for November's emergency debate on the decline of French in Quebec. Action must be taken quickly…
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from St. Albert—Edmonton and I would like to hear his thoughts on the fact that I share his concerns. We agree on the principles of the bill. I think we need to be more inclusive. However, we do not want this to be rushed through and botched this time, as we have come to expect from the Liberals. Could my colleague comment on the possibility of working w…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank my wonderful colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent with whom I have the pleasure of sharing a riding border. I only have two minutes, but I have a lot to say. I would like to begin by reiterating to the House that the Conservative Party of Canada acknowledges climate change. Yesterday, our leader presented a plan for the environment. I was very proud of his leadership. The summ…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to reaffirm that the Conservative Party of Canada recognizes climate change, and I am proud of the leadership demonstrated by our leader, who yesterday presented a bold, realistic plan that has been validated by subject-matter experts. This plan will help us meet the Paris targets in creative, effective ways. Among other things, we are going to establish a border t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, thousands of Canadians have been abandoned by the system. For example, after receiving EI sickness benefits, one of my constituents was denied the Canada recovery sickness benefit because her employment insurance file is still open and it is blocking the system. Managers are aware of the flaw and are awaiting instruction. When will the Minister of National Revenue and the Minister o…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, all parliamentarians here agree that we need to tackle climate change and do what is necessary for the environment. How can my colleague assure Canadians that the Liberal government's plans will get results? From what we are seeing here today, this bill will delay initial results for the length of two majority mandates plus one year, for a total of nine years. I would like to hear m…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed colleague, the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader. I will take the time he has used in his question. Can he tell us what is going to happen in the future? The answer is very simple. No, he cannot. The current government continues to make promises and not keep them, as usual. I would like my colleague to withdraw his comment becau…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I will take the opportunity to speak directly to the Canadian public. The last few months have been a unique time for us all. We are in a pandemic. In the last few days, the situation seems to have become more fraught, and some citizens have been protesting. Here in Canada, the right to protest is a legitimate right, and when a protest is held in a civilized manner, it i…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, with whom I have the privilege of serving on the Standing Committee on Official Languages. I will provide her with some information. From 2009 to 2015, investments did not increase. From 2015 to 2021, there were no investments in institutions. My colleague attended yesterday's committee meeting. Representatives from Campus Saint-Jean pointed out tha…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, it is important to be able to see what is happening in the institutions. In the preamble, there are indicators that call on us to react, observe and demand accountability. It is not interference. It is about holding those in charge accountable. On the other hand, we have a responsibility to ensure that everything is going well. In this case, we could see this problem coming a mile off…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for granting the NDP's request for an emergency debate. I think tonight's debate transcends partisanship. As parliamentarians, we have to think about this situation. I listened to the member for Sudbury and sensed a lot of emotion in his speech. This is happening right in his backyard, in his community. As he mentioned, he represents …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley for his question. Yes, we are asking that Bill C-14 be split in two. We agree with offering help to Canadians, but we do not agree with writing a blank cheque. At the beginning of the pandemic—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from London—Fanshawe. The opposition is made up of three different parties, and we have just identified three groups of Canadians that the government is neither serving nor helping. Other members mentioned students and farmers, and I talked about young business owners who are non-arm's length tenants. This is a great opportunity for the current gov…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Shefford. As I mentioned earlier, the government is always going around boasting that they help everybody: young people, seniors, businesses, families, farmers. They say, “No problem, we help everybody.” That is simply not true, and there are concrete examples. I invite my colleague to contact the Minister of Finance so that we can work togeth…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Longueuil—Saint-Hubert. We are in a country called Canada. There are two official languages. We are here in Ottawa this evening in the Parliament of Canada as part of an emergency debate on the French language in Ontario and on Laurentian University. Yes, we need to protect the two official languages across Canada, from coast to coast, to ensure that we remai…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) and the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program: (a) how many businesses and organizations qualified for CECRA but were not eligible for CERS due to restrictions on groups under the CERS program; (b) why did the government decide to exclude businesses receiving CECRA from the CERS program; (c) did the government take into …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, on February 16, I asked the Minister of Finance a question. A business in my riding is having problems with the commercial rent assistance program because they are non-arm's-length tenants. The minister told me that she wanted to help all businesses who needed this support. Several businesses need this assistance in order to avoid declaring bankruptcy. A month and a half later, we sti…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague from Winnipeg North for the excellent job he is doing as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. In his speech, he mentioned that the Bloc Québécois, the NDP and the Conservatives do not understand, as though our problem is that we are asking questions. My problem is that I want to know why the Liberal…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear colleague. I appreciate his question. If he can practise his French, I can practise my English. Yesterday, TVA relayed the following comment on femicide: “It is a frightening situation.” Who said that? It was the mayor of the second-largest city in Canada, Montreal. It is a huge problem and we do not see what is happening in homes across Quebec and Canada. It is clear …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Montcalm for his comments. Indeed, we should not be playing yo-yo with people. The number of active cases is on the rise in the Lower St. Lawrence region of Quebec. The provincial government is adjusting its strategy. The people in this region were asking to be moved from the orange zone to the yellow zone. If the numbers keep rising, they will be put in the …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Repentigny. We moved a motion today calling on the government to take concrete action, come up with a response plan and give Canadians hope. If that is called procrastination in my colleague's riding, Repentigny, then I do not understand. Procrastinating is being on the job and constantly putting off things and tasks, either because you do not want to do them…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Fundy Royal, New Brunswick, for his very interesting speech. I would add that he is doing a great job in the official opposition shadow cabinet. I would therefore like to thank my esteemed colleague from the beautiful riding of Fundy Royal, which is not as nice as Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, but is beautiful nonetheless, because it is our neighbour. I t…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge my colleague, the opposition transport critic. That was an excellent speech. I would also like to inform the House that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Chilliwack—Hope, in B.C. Today we are debating Bill C-24, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act, the Canada Recovery Benefits Act and another act in response to COVID-19. The past y…
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Mr. Speaker, I salute my colleague, and I want him to know that I really appreciate his work and his question. I feel compelled to answer him very clearly, and I will be blunt. No, the current Liberal government is not capable of properly managing public funds and the economic recovery of our country.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to rise on a point of order before I respond to the point of order raised by my colleague from Kingston and the Islands. However, it seems as though there is someone else online. Can we make sure that everyone's microphone is on mute?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo my colleague from Timmins—James Bay's compliment on your excellent work. You have earned it. I appreciate your work as Speaker of the House and occupant of the chair. I would like to begin by responding to the point of order raised by my colleague from Kingston and the Islands. I do not think my colleague from Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan was ill-intentioned. I…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia. I especially appreciate her environmental awareness, and I salute her. My answer is that, yes, we need to fix the situation the Liberals have created. Now we need to sit down and figure out how to do that. I do not know the details of the negotiations that took place between the Bloc Québécois and the Liberal Party. The…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Edmonton Strathcona. I hope the next few times I will speak with you in English. I will speak French for now, but I too am working very hard to learn our great country's other official language. Let me say that you are right. We could be taking meaningful action. Bill C-12, the bill we are debating, does not address the concerns or propose any quick, tangib…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House virtually. Today we are talking about Bill C-12, an act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. Before I get started, I just want to say that I am always proud to tell the House that Conservatives do not wake up every morning intent on destroying our planet. Quite …
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Madam Speaker, I will continue. At first glance, what I just read seems very promising. The Liberals have always been good at using buzzwords to suck Canadians in with their promises, especially when it comes to hot topics like environmental protection and climate change mitigation. If we do not seem overly enthusiastic or prepared to blindly get on board with this Liberal government's proposal of…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Shefford for her question. It is true that we need to do something. Back when acid rain was an issue, who was in power when the problem was resolved? It was a Conservative government. We trusted science and business owners to do research and development. Why must the environment and economic development be pitted against each other? I think it is possible t…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, our country was built by two founding peoples, one francophone and one anglophone, along with the first nations. The Official Languages Act, which was adopted in 1969, declares English and French to be Canada's two official languages. French has been on the decline in Quebec and in francophone communities across Canada. The last report from the Commissioner of Official Languages was c…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Canada emergency rent subsidy is designed to help business owners who have been hit hard by this pandemic. A young man in my riding who has been running a business for 10 years pays his taxes. He qualified for the subsidy in the spring, but since September he no longer qualifies. Why is that? It is because of a non-arm's length party. Can the Minister of Finance fix this mistake a…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is about time the Prime Minister closed the borders. He should have done so long ago, but he is once again causing confusion. Which hotels will be authorized, and when? Will people who have received both vaccine doses be exempt? Plus, he is still offloading the work onto the provinces. Canadian citizens abroad need to make plans and decide what to do to come back, so when will we g…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today. What I like about today's take-note debate is that it is very collegial. It is a constructive debate with members making suggestions and rising above partisanship. I find that very engaging, and that is what a take-note debate on procedural enhancements should be. As I mentioned earlier, I am very pleased and honoured to be an MP and to be here representi…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from South Okanagan—West Kootenay in British Columbia. As I say every time I meet with constituents, even though I may not be meeting with very many these days, some good things will come out of what we are going through right now. I did not mention that in my speech, but there are good things that we can continue with. I have to say that we are le…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kingston and the Islands. As I said in my speech, this is not an easy file. However, we should not be afraid to raise these issues and come up with a reference tool to simplify them and avoid controversy. There will always be controversy, but like fashion, this file is always changing. Anyone who is not wearing a jacket will not be admitted to…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Drummond for his question. It is not easy to establish a dress code, but we could refer to fabrics and exclude all denim, for example. I have seen female ministers wearing denim jackets and male members wearing jeans. If we want to have decorum and a proper dress code, all we have to do is ban sweatshirts and jeans. I do not claim to know everything, so I s…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take off my mask, which is from the Secret Valley in my riding. I want to thank all the residents of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier who answered my call to take snapshots of beautiful places in our riding. We received a lot of photos. Some of them were published in an annual calendar featuring our very own treasures. I want to recognize the following photographers, whose pic…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, on September 23, 2020, in the Speech from the Throne that opened the second session of the 43rd Parliament of Canada, the Government of Canada reiterated its desire to create a Canada water agency. The throne speech stated that the government will create a new Canada water agency to keep our water safe, clean and well managed. The government will also identify opportunities to build…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, thank you for your help. I would remind members that the government prorogued Parliament while the country was in the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis. As far as I know, few parliaments shut down during the crisis, but that is the bizarre strategy the Liberal government opted for. We all know that protecting fresh water is crucial. We need to protect this resource. We need…
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