Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the north shore produces more electricity than any other administrative region in Quebec and, I believe, more than any other place in Canada. However, the Government of Quebec has never received a penny from the federal government for Hydro-Québec. We never needed federal government help for that, not then or now. I think that my riding is doing just fine without federal involvement i…
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Mr. Speaker, I am saying that the government is not being transparent but, unless I am mistaken, I believe that my colleague's party wishes to vote in favour of the bill. To me, that is one and the same. It does not matter which side someone is on if everyone votes the same way and there is no transparency. I see no difference there. I would like to ask my colleague the same question. Why is he vo…
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Mr. Speaker, I truly appreciate my colleague's thoroughness and the relevance of her comments. I would respond that that question also occurred to me. Why did the government forget? Why did it make such a list, to which nearly any law could be added because of the possibilities that are included in the bill itself? I think it was written quickly. They also want the House to pass it quickly and the…
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Mr. Speaker, the CSN is also speaking out against Bill C‑5 and how it will impose energy projects on Quebeckers. The CSN said, and I quote: The use of closure to pass Bill C‑5 is an undemocratic tactic supported by the Conservative Party of Canada that will open the door to irreversible mistakes... I will repeat word for word the question that is troubling the CSN: If Bill C‑5 is so good for worke…
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Mr. Speaker, the CSN is adding its voice to the Assembly of First Nations. It even joins a few Liberal MPs and, no doubt, a few ministers who prefer to remain silent. They are the ones we are addressing as the vote approaches. Bill C‑5 makes it possible to circumvent all environmental measures and suspend nearly all legislation by order in council. It is the most authoritarian bill since the Emerg…
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting against the motion.
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The Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting against.
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to add something to the point of order raised by my colleague from Vancouver East. I would like to mention that the Bloc Québécois also sent a letter to the governing party. I would like to read two paragraphs regarding our request to split Bill C‑5. We believe that a bill on trade and labour would progress more quickly if it were assessed individually and on its own meri…
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Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to hear from my colleague. She said it; she is a pragmatist. Someone said earlier that Quebeckers had voted for a Liberal government. I would like to hear her opinion on the fact that Quebeckers may have voted against themselves. Proposed section 7 states, “Before recommending that an order be made...the Minister must consult”, if he considers it appropriate, w…
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour of the motion.
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour of the motion.
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moved: That Bill C-5, in Clause 4, be amended by adding after line 2 on page 19 the following: “(b.1) the Canada Labour Code;”
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I thank my colleague from Northumberland—Clarke for his point of order. I agree with what he just said because, when we look at the two amendments that have been grouped together, one of which I myself brought forward, we see that the proposals clearly relate to completely different subjects. Members might very well want to vote in favour of one and against…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today at third reading of Bill C-5. I would first like to thank my colleague from Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères for all the work he has done, despite the challenges posed by situation resulting from the gag order. He has worked with the Bloc Québécois as our constituents expect us to work in the House, that is, with the thoroughness and transparency. Tran…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague's speech, and I thank her for her contribution to discussions in the House. She mentioned the project designation criteria several times. She also talked about leadership. In her opinion, does leadership mean not respecting the laws that were duly passed by the House of Commons? Does it mean not respecting provincial jurisdictions? I could provide more examp…
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Mr. Speaker, everyone is affected by the Canada Post labour dispute. However, the government is making a mistake by siding with the employer instead of supporting a lasting, negotiated settlement. First, the government suspended workers' right to strike in December. Then, yesterday, the Minister of Jobs and Families announced that she will force employees to vote on Canada Post's unilateral propos…
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Mr. Chair, I hope there will be a conclusion, not just a discussion. The French language commissioner published a report in November 2024 about understanding the decline of French and reversing that trend. It stated that the federal public service is primarily responsible for the anglicization of the Outaouais region, with rates of nearly 60%. Will the secretary repeat what his organization says, …
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Mr. Chair, does the minister agree with no longer hiring employees on the promise of learning French since they do not meet the requirements of the job at the time of hiring?
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Mr. Chair, during the pilot phase, several departments reported that the system was far from satisfactory. Why did the government continue to roll out the pay system despite the warnings and poor test results?
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Mr. Chair, I hope it happens faster than it is taking to address the Phoenix issues. Speaking of Phoenix, that pay system has been failing for nine years, and those failures are putting public servants' lives at risk. As a member from the North Shore, I know what I am taking about. Does the government intend to launch an independent investigation into this scandal?
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Mr. Chair, the government is increasing spending. We understand that. Much has been said about the $38 billion in new operating expenditures in the main estimates, which are up by 8.4%. However, when we take a closer look, it is even worse. Major transfers to individuals, such as old age security, or to the provinces, such as health transfers, are statutory appropriations that have not been voted …
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Mr. Chair, it is odd that the estimates are being tabled a little later than usual, yet the government is increasing spending eightfold. I hope that the health transfers will be sizable. In Quebec, the government is on the defensive because the new computer system for the Société de l'assurance de l'automobile du Québec, or SAAQ, cost twice as much as expected, $1 billion instead of $500 million. …
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Mr. Chair, during the election, the new Liberals promised to enable border services officers to retire after 25 years of service instead of 35, as their union requested. As the employer of the public service, does the President of the Treasury Board intend to implement that measure?
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Mr. Chair, the government is trying to cut costs and get unions to agree to less compensation. It recovered overpayments and was sometimes not justified in doing so, and only then did it reimburse public servants dealing with pay errors that cost them thousands of dollars. For a person who lost their house, a total of $2,500 for four years is not very generous. Will the government finally provide …
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Mr. Chair, on top of having to go through Phoenix when it comes to their pay, public servants now have to go through Canada Life when it comes to their insurance. As the employer of the public service, when will the President of the Treasury Board address the situation?
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Mr. Chair, this new government is already 10 years old and after the answer I just got, it seems that it is not really going to change, either. I will move on. Is the CRA's reduced budget good news, in fact? Will Ottawa finally agree to allow Quebeckers to file a single tax return and to allow Revenu Québec to handle it? Is the elimination of the duplication reflected in the estimates?
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Mr. Chair, the estimates detail the amount of spending that the government is asking Parliament to approve. At the same time, the government is supposed to tell us what it intends to do with that money through the departmental plans that it usually tables at the same time. However, we still do not have the departmental plans. The government is asking us for money but refuses to tell us how it plan…
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Mr. Chair, there is something strange in the estimates. The Canada Revenue Agency's budget is cut by $7 billion, or 40%. For years, when we press the government to take action against those who profit from the use of tax havens, it has been telling us that it will add resources to the CRA to fight against international tax avoidance. Now the government is cutting that money. Are the estimates tell…
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Mr. Chair, at the time, Australia had already experienced problems with the system, and the unions alerted the federal government, whether it was the old one or the new one. Why did it still buy the software?
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Mr. Chair, I was actually referring once again to a reduction that might make Quebeckers less inclined to use tax havens. In budget 2023, amidst a big scandal over contracts awarded to McKinsey, the government announced that it would substantially reduce the budgets allocated to consulting firms. That never happened. Instead, the main estimates indicate that the amount allocated to consultants, th…
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Mr. Chair, before he asks us to authorize $487 billion in spending, could the President of the Treasury Board tell us what the projected deficit will be this year?
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Mr. Chair, that was actually not my question. I asked the President of the Treasury Board to tell us what the projected deficit will be this year.
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Mr. Chair, can the minister guarantee that the sums will be indexed and paid with no strings attached, and that Quebec's full jurisdiction over the fight against homelessness will be respected?
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Mr. Chair, earlier the Bloc Québécois addressed the issue of homelessness and the minister addressed it as well. Many community groups are speaking out about the chronic underfunding of homelessness programs in Quebec. We are critical of that too. The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates that there is roughly a $3.5-billion shortfall annually to achieve the goal of reducing homelessness by 50%. …
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Mr. Chair, the Bloc Québécois is proposing that all federal investments in housing be accompanied by an equivalent increase in essential municipal infrastructure, such as water, electricity and waste water treatment infrastructure. How does the minister plan to ensure that municipalities have the necessary resources to accommodate new housing projects while respecting Quebec's jurisdictions?
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Mr. Chair, the Bloc Québécois would like to see measures to curb the financialization of housing, in particular by combatting house flipping and facilitating the transfer of federal lands at reduced prices for social projects. What concrete action has the minister taken to achieve these objectives? At this time, the appropriations only provide for additional aid for short-term rentals, but nothing…
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Mr. Chair, the government is boasting about making federal buildings available to organizations and entrepreneurs so that they can be converted into affordable housing. However, will the government change the rule that requires the Canada Lands Company to sell its facilities at market value?
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Mr. Chair, a number of stakeholders in Quebec's housing sector have been saying that housing programs are too complex for a long time. The Bloc Québécois strongly believes that federal programs need to be simplified and aligned with Quebec programs, since Quebec has jurisdiction over housing. Are discussions being held with the Government of Quebec to make sure that federal programs do not hinder …
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Mr. Chair, I wanted to know whether discussions were under way with the Government of Quebec.
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Mr. Chair, what steps are being taken to cut through red tape, speed up housing starts and ensure that federal funds are transferred to Quebec with no strings attached?
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Mr. Chair, my questions are for the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. I would like to start by saying a few nice things about my colleague, Denis Trudel, who was not re-elected, but who worked on the housing file. He said quite a few things that the Minister of Housing might find interesting. Those were some of the same things I heard from people during the election campaign about improving …
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Mr. Chair, that does not actually answer my question. It sounds as though they are not going to change anything. What concrete measures will the minister take to review the affordability criteria to create housing that is truly affordable for the least well-off households and to maximize the initiative's effectiveness? When will he do that?
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Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order. Is the member talking about today's Bloc Québécois opposition day motion?
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Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate once again that while Quebeckers did not pay the carbon tax in April, May and June, neither did any Canadians. However, Quebeckers and British Columbians were the only ones who did not get a cheque for those three months. It is simple. That is the only thing we want. That money was not taken from the carbon tax. It was given to everyone but Quebeckers. We just want…
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Madam Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is opposed to the amendment.
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