Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the assault-style firearms compensation program is a success. Over 51,000 firearms have already been declared, and gun owners will have eight days to submit their declaration. Instead of spreading disinformation, the members of the opposition should help their constituents get the compensation they are entitled to while they still can.
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Mr. Speaker, I was not expecting to participate in this debate today, but I think it is essential. In my life, I have been a victim of hatred because of unchecked speech. I have been subjected to rape, I have been subjected to physical harm, I have been subjected to all sorts of things. Freedom of speech does not mean anyone can say whatever they want. It is important that we establish standards a…
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Mr. Speaker, the tariff war with the United States is extremely challenging, but we have a plan and that plan is working. Our country is attracting more investment than any other country right now. We are seeing it. The industrial defence strategy is working and the automotive strategy is producing results. These things do not happen overnight, but we are making progress and Canadians have faith i…
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Mr. Speaker, with a heart already heavy from the tragic events in Tumbler Ridge, I rise in the House today to offer my sincerest condolences to the family members and loved ones of the two young Anishinabe victims from Kitigan Zibi. I do not have the words to explain such a tragedy, coming on the heels of an already sombre week. How anyone can weaponize children as a means to cause harm is incompr…
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Mr. Speaker, we recognize what happened and the devastating impact that the expropriation in Mirabel had in the 1960s and 1970s. However, when people today relate that example to high-speed rail, they are preventing us from achieving our objective of promoting, but also of creating a major project that will reduce our greenhouse gases resulting from transportation. We are open to consultation. The…
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Mr. Speaker, it is truly a privilege for me to rise in the House of Commons today to speak to the important motion moved by the member for Mirabel. From what I understand, the Government of Canada fully recognizes that Canadians have concerns about expropriation. There is a reason why we have been talking about this all day. We also recognize the harm caused to the many families whose farms were e…
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Mr. Speaker, I am a new member of the House and I have not experienced closure. However, I was here when it was very hot. I would like to know the date of the closure. There is another thing I would like to know. There is a lot of talk about Bill C-5. I listened to my lovely colleague's speech until the end. I did not hear that this project was included in Bill C-5. I would therefore like my colle…
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Mr. Speaker, it is not up to me to determine how the vote will go next week. However, all throughout the debate, in everything that we have seen in the House, and in discussions outside the House and on social media, the Bloc members are implying that we are an irresponsible government and that this project is trampling over everyone and disregards the rights of farmers, when that is absolutely no…
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Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians want us to move quickly. This is not a time to dilly-dally. If we work together as a society and as a community, we are capable of conducting proper, meaningful and respectful consultations where we listen to each other. We are capable of defining how we want to carry out this project and obtaining reparations if necessary to find solutions. Even though this project …
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Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised at the direction this discussion is taking. In fact, more than 70% of the population across Canada supports the bill. A great deal of respect is being shown in this process. Compensation is offered precisely because the owners of the firearms that are now banned purchased them in good faith, as legal gun owners. That is why they will be compensated. I believe respe…
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Mr. Speaker, it is essential that Canadians have a choice in their spending. We believe in this very strongly, and so we are working with the Conservatives to get the Canada groceries and essentials benefit passed. At the same time, we are also rebuilding our economy to deal with a tariff war that nobody on that side ever talks about. We are addressing this system so we can give Canadians back the…
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Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will be voting at third reading on the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. I am very pleased about that. We are going to work together for Canadians by passing this measure and putting $1,800 back in the pockets of families with four children. That is what it means to give purchasing power and control back to families, not to manufacturers, grocery stores or the…
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Mr. Speaker, the first-time homebuyers' tax credit is a real solution for young people who want to become homeowners, and it is one of the practical measures that we are taking today to give them access to home ownership. My colleague also mentioned the challenges facing the construction industry. In fact, what we are hearing from the construction industry is that it needs measures like the ones w…
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Mr. Speaker, we have to work to get results, and that is what we are doing. My children are familiar with the issue raised by my colleagues opposite. I have four children. They want to own their own homes, and we are going to find solutions. That is why we have committed to Build Canada Homes. We are already taking action. We also made an announcement with the Government of Quebec in support of in…
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Mr. Speaker, yes, nature is important and that means we have to fight climate change. That is why we cannot eliminate every tax on carbon. It has been demonstrated that the climate has the greatest impact on consumer price increases. In the meantime, we are giving Canadians the means to have greater purchasing power. There needs to be less filibustering. We need to use common sense to be able to h…
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Mr. Speaker, given the current situation, it is essential for Canadians to regain their purchasing power, and that is what we are working on. We are working toward that goal by creating jobs, rebuilding our businesses and providing Canadians with a host of measures. In my Conservative colleague's riding alone, the Canada child benefit will have an impact of about $8,000 per year per child. That is…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians made a choice in April. They elected the Liberals to come up with solutions to the situation we are facing today. This suite of solutions has transformed into tax breaks for the middle class and the affordability measures that were announced this week, as well as the universal implementation of the school food program, for example. We have implemented a number of measures, a…
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Mr. Speaker, the measure we announced this week will do just that—put money back in the pockets of Canadians. To be precise, that means $1,800 for a family of four this year and about $900 for a single person. That is significant, and it means money in their pockets. Adding up all the benefits for families, including the Canada child benefit, families will get $8,000 in their pockets. We are doing…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question, which address an issue that is important to Quebeckers and to all Canadians. Let us not forget that Canadians want this program to work well and they want to get assault-style weapons off our streets. What does it mean to partner with Quebec? It means that Quebec is making the Sûreté du Québec available to participate in this program. I would lik…
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Mr. Speaker, we cannot control every price and every detail, and we realize Canadians are facing major challenges. As the mayor of Quebec City said, when times are tough, it is important to give choices back to people. What we are doing right now is giving purchasing power back to Canadians so they can make choices. This will affect 12 million Canadians. Couples will get $1,890 back this year and …
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Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House. I wish everyone a happy new year. This is already a good year for Canadians. Today, more than 12 million Canadians will see an increase in their purchasing power. More purchasing power is what they need to deal with what we are seeing in grocery stores, and that is the goal. I hope our colleagues will support us in this endeavour.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not see this as a betrayal. The strategy is changing, but the objectives remain the same. Our country will be able to meet the targets, but we have to deal with a different reality. We are changing our strategies, but we are sticking to the same vision. That is what building Canada is all about.
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Mr. Speaker, I think what we are doing right now, as Christmas approaches, is giving Canadians back some of their purchasing power. On the one hand, we have a series of programs that will bring them relief on a daily basis, with $10 child care, the Canada child benefit, and a host of other measures. On the other hand, we are working hard on the economic front to ensure that Canadians can have good…
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Mr. Speaker, I am not sure we can call it betrayal. Our government is developing a new strategy to achieve important goals. My Prime Minister, the 44 MPs representing Quebec and I all share environmental values. We may need to do a better job of explaining, but we are going to adopt strategies to achieve our goals. We must be able to that, and this agreement provides us with important tools to get…
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Madam Speaker, we used to have one province that was reluctant to join us in our fight to achieve net-zero emissions. Today, that same province has just agreed to increase the price on carbon. More importantly, it has just agreed to reduce its methane emissions by 75%. For the project to go ahead, there has to be an agreement with British Columbia. There has to be an agreement with the first natio…
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Madam Speaker, it is not complicated. Everything we do is for Canadians. Bringing up ethics is an attempt to distract certain people from the real work we are doing. The budget includes a package of measures for Quebec that will benefit our economy and our workers: ports, roads, work being done with Hydro-Québec to boost its production, mines and jobs. That is what building Canada is all about. Le…
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to address the House as the member for Châteauguay—Les Jardins‑de‑Napierville. My journey since December 6, 1989, has led me to live a range of experiences, and today I draw the attention of the House to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This is an extremely important day for me. It is a day that is recognized around t…
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Mr. Speaker, it is true that Canadians are having a hard time, but the important thing is to give them back their purchasing power. We are doing that in so many different ways, such as by supporting families, the school food program, dental care and pharmacare. These are all ways we are giving purchasing power back to Canadians. I have not even touched on all the investments that will create good,…
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Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear my colleague criticizing this budget. I want to approach this budget from a woman's perspective. I am a woman, and I have had all kinds of experiences as a woman. Whenever the other side talks about women, they often talk about them as victims: victims of violence in their private lives or victims because they have trouble paying for groceries. This budget will …
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Mr. Speaker, this budget is a budget that invests in our children. It takes money to invest so that we can create jobs and give all Canadians back their purchasing power. That is what matters. That is what we are doing. That is what Canadians are hoping for, and I hope that our colleagues will support this budget that will give power back to all Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, I am a bit surprised by my colleague opposite's reaction. In this budget, there are jobs at Davie. There are jobs in La Pocatière thanks to the action we are taking. My riding of Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville is home to one of Quebec's longest borders, a feature we share with the ridings of several of my colleagues. In this budget, there is $1.7 billion to strengthen security…
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Mr. Speaker, my mother understands the difference between an investment and an expenditure and so do my children. This budget is an investment in our young people and in our resources so that we are able to get through the current crisis. Canadians elected us to do that. They have confidence in us and that is what we are going to do.
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Mr. Speaker, this is not the first time I have risen in the House, because the issue of femicide victims affects us all in Canada. I am well aware of that. The important thing is to have a broad and integrated approach. We have already introduced bills that will allow us to take action. We think it is better to support the overall structure. That is how we are going to support the Canadian system,…
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Mr. Speaker, I survived the Polytechnique femicide where 14 women lost their lives. In 1990, the largest paper petition was tabled here in the House of Commons. It asked for the removal of assault-style firearms from our streets. This was in 1990 and, even today, more than 70% of Canadians, including rural Canadians, are in favour. This is not about going after hunters or farmers. It is about fire…
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Mr. Speaker, it is important for us to complete this initiative. Canadians are waiting for this. It is important to uphold our commitments, and this program will allow us to do that. I think all Quebeckers and all Canadians are waiting for this. It is not the only thing that needs to be done to fight crime, but it is a part of the whole package. It is one measure we will implement to ensure succes…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to live in a world that is safe. For 35 years, they have known that assault-style weapons can lead to mass shootings in Canada. It happened to me and it happened to other Canadians in Portapique. It has happened in places across Canada. What we are going to do today, starting in Cape Breton, is take assault-style weapons off our streets to make our country safer. I than…
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Mr. Speaker, lying in my hospital bed 35 years ago, I did not understand what was happening. I could not understand how such a thing could happen to me in a country like Canada. In January 1990, I attended the first press conference surrounded by the families of the École Polytechnique students, who were calling for a ban on assault-style weapons. I will continue to be an advocate. However, the mo…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question in French. As we all know, and as the member is aware, the Polytechnique tragedy started a movement among Canadians to get assault-style firearms off our streets. This is so important in Quebec that we are continuing to register long guns, and my colleague voted for that. What we are doing today will not affect hunters who use reason…
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Mr. Speaker, I will try this in English. Maybe the member will understand it a bit more. This program is to remove from the hands of Canadians firearms designed to kill people, not for hunting. It is not a waste of money, because Canadians want those firearms off the streets. They voted for us. We said we would do that. We will do that.
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Mr. Speaker, allow me to start by setting the record straight. The program announced at midday today is intended to collect assault-style weapons. It has no impact on hunting. I repeat, this program has no impact on hunting. No reasonable hunter uses assault-style weapons for hunting, and those are the weapons that will be collected. That is what was announced today. This is a program that all Can…
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Mr. Speaker, 35 years ago, I was shot four times by a legal gun owner. For the past 35 years, Canadians have wanted assault-style weapons to be taken off our streets and, this year, we will do that.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her very interesting question. I am convinced there would be value in discussing the context in which the Jordan decision applies to women who are victims of violence or of certain other types of crime, and who deserve special attention, and, in this context, the Jordan decision simply penalizes the victims. I am certain that my government would agree to exami…
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Mr. Speaker, I was deeply moved as I listened to what my colleague went through. These situations scare all Canadians, but unfortunately, they do exist. However, I would like to truly understand to what extent today's motion would improve victims' rights or respond to this issue. I do not understand this at all. Unfortunately, we know that this measure has not worked in the past. I would really li…
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Mr. Speaker, I understand. I understand my colleague when she talks about how hard it is to walk down the street as a woman. I have experienced that and still experience it from time to time. However, what is being proposed today will not help make our streets safer. Common-sense laws and regulations, drafted after discussions with the community and all levels of government, are what will enable u…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear from my colleague about the measures he would take to address the factors that lead to situations of violence. What does he suggest the government do about that?
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Mr. Speaker, unfortunately I am not aware of the specific facts provided by my colleague. However, I understand the spirit of her intervention. As I was saying to my colleague from Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, I have no doubt that these concerns can be considered by the team at the Department of Justice and by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
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Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleague is okay with me responding in French. The question today is not on gun control measures. The heart of today's discussion is the importance of effectively dealing with crime in our society and the rise in violence. The work we are doing on gun control is part of that work, work that should have a lasting impact. As a gun control advocate, I have always known that th…
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Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the hon. member for Battle River—Crowfoot for moving this motion. Public safety is definitely an issue that all people in Canada care deeply about, and it is something that I personally have cared deeply about for many, many years. I have been advocating for better gun control in Canada for over 15 years now. The main objective of my personal commitment is …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question. I am deeply moved to rise in the House on this issue. I am here with the Liberal government because, up until March of this year, the Liberal government worked tirelessly to reduce the risk of gun violence in Canada by banning assault-style weapons. We still need to make regulations. We are going to do that because we need to see this through. Th…
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Mr. Speaker, since this is my first time rising in the House, I will take a moment to thank my constituents in the beautiful riding of Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville for their trust and support. Nature is a fundamental part of the Canadian identity. It brings us together, and Canadians of every political stripe love nature. This new government will work with the provinces, territories, ind…
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