Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like my colleague to share his concerns about the future of the planet. We cannot keep developing oil and gas without worrying about the consequences. Doing away with environmental laws and protection mechanisms will obviously have consequences. At some point, what is going to happen? Is there any real concern over this or is this simply a race to be the best at job creation? …
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Mr. Speaker, our U19 team showed off all its skills at the three-versus-three World Ball Hockey Championship final in Slovakia. Team Quebec won in the final with a score of 9–7. Can anyone guess who they beat? It was team Canada. The work of the Fondation Équipe-Québec and its president, Stefan Allinger-Cormier, is making a huge difference in young Quebeckers' lives by giving them the opportunity …
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Madam Speaker, I am listening to the Conservatives and wondering if I did the right thing in coming to Ottawa today. Will I make it home safe at the end of the week? Luckily, Bill C‑3 has not passed yet. I would like to ask my colleague how many potential terrorists are there among the Canadian women who married non-Canadians before 1947 or among the people born between February 15, 1977 and April…
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Madam Speaker, it is also nice for me to see the member for Calgary Nose Hill again. She is right. The notion of fairness in a society is an important issue. We are being asked, in broad terms, what citizenship should look like. Obviously, I believe that all immigration powers should be transferred to Quebec so that Quebec can manage the language issue. This summer, the ridings were caught up in a…
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Madam Speaker, I feel like the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, whom I thank, is attacking me in a power play with his questions this morning. I will answer, considering that our time is limited. Quebec has done more than its share when it comes to taking in refugees. A fair balance is missing on that score. I encourage Ottawa to set things straight and ensure that each province can do …
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Mr. Speaker, of course it would be hard to begin this new parliamentary session without wishing everyone, including those watching at home, a warm welcome back. The summer was particularly beautiful in Abitibi—Témiscamingue. I think it was important for many of us to practice self-care after the year we had. That did not prevent some family trips, including to the Quebec Games, and a trip to the n…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from York Centre for his heartfelt remarks and for sharing his story. I appreciated hearing him talk about how proud he felt during his immigration process, but I was surprised that he expressed concern about people from other countries coming to Canada on a path similar to his own. As a lawmaker, I want to understand what the Conservatives are opposed to and, m…
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Madam Speaker, it is really great to see the member for Winnipeg North again. Too bad his question is a bit off topic. However, it is customary when Parliament resumes to accept such questions. I will accept this suggestion to work collaboratively and effectively. I know we are in politics, but sometimes we have to be collaborative. I would like to note that yesterday there was a big announcement …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Niagara South for his speech. I think it is appropriate to send him my regards for the first time in this Parliament. I would like to know more about the Conservatives' position. This morning, it felt as though Niagara Falls was such a sieve that it was about to become the new Roxham Road. However, that is not what I take from this bill. I would like my col…
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Madam Speaker, I find it interesting that this member should lecture us on the tone and volume of speech in the House. That said, it is evidently the tone and volume to be expected in the coming year. In practical terms, I believe that one question remains, a question that was raised by the member for Winnipeg North: What will be studied in committee? I need to understand the loophole because I ca…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her debate and her tone. I would like her to expand on her question. What amendments will the Conservatives move in committee to improve the bill? Above all, when she talks about a loophole that the bill might create for some immigrants, what loophole is she referring to, exactly? I would like to better understand my colleague, and I think it is a matter of …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member for Lakeland a question. First, we can all agree that supporting a closure motion is absolutely stupid and unreasonable. We can also agree that, in terms of the environment, the Conservatives are once again lagging behind. I would, however, like to point out a way in which the member was able to play an important role at report stage. The Indian Act was …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, June 21, is National Indigenous Peoples Day. Let us draw inspiration from the summer solstice and celebrate the cultures, languages, and contributions of first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples from time immemorial to the present day, and especially to tomorrow and for the next seven generations. This is also an opportunity to build relationships and talk about mutual respect…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a simple question for my hon. colleague from Repentigny because I know he is an expert in the environment. What the consequences might this bill have for Quebec specifically? Could the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement, which is highly respected and is a competitive advantage for Quebec projects, be tangibly threatened by this bill?
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my Conservative colleague, with whom I serve on the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. Since he was reappointed to that committee, I will have the pleasure of working with him again. I would like to know what questions he would ask first nations representatives if Bill C-5 were to be studied by the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. Woul…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kings—Hants for his speech and his sensitivity on issues affecting indigenous peoples. He repeated the phrase we have often heard from the Liberals over the past few days, about creating one Canadian economy out of 13. This shows how little consideration was given to the indigenous economy, even in the thought process that led to this election c…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister a question about this bill, which some might see as a declaration of war against first nations. Earlier on, I made a little pilgrimage to the Senate to hear what National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak had to say. One of the things she mentioned was how important and urgent it is to respect the obligation to conduct advance consultations in accordance with th…
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Mr. Speaker, as we debate Bill C‑5, I think we should all be inspired by La Fontaine's fable, The Tortoise and the Hare. The federal government is behaving like the hare; it wants to make everything happen fast. It is not taking the time to do things properly. It wants to act right now and thinks everything is a matter of life and death. That is just not the case. The tortoise, in contrast, moves …
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Mr. Speaker, what the member for La Prairie—Atateken just said demonstrates a flagrant lack of respect for first nations. The whole problem with this government is that it promises consultations at a later date. First nations are being asked to sign everything over, and then the government will walk away. It wants to take away first nations' established rights and then trample on them. I am taking…
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Mr. Speaker, for a while there was no interpretation. I would just like to see if it is working.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands for her question and her sincere interest in this subject. Of course I would like that. The work will continue, because we need to have this ongoing dialogue. Unfortunately, if Bill C-5 is passed as quickly as is planned, the repercussions of this bill will be dealt with in the courts for the next few years, if not decades.
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Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my colleague, this is the same fundamental problem. Indigenous peoples are being put in a box. They get offered something so that it can be said that they were given a little sandbox to play in. They will then be told that they have been consulted. This is not reconciliation. This is not ongoing dialogue with first nations. Action needs to be taken right from t…
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Madam Speaker, I sincerely thank my colleague for delivering a very important lesson to prove that Quebeckers and indigenous people are distinct. I have a feeling that June 16 will be marked as the day the Bloc Québécois said that we told them so. What is also happening in the news is that Donald Trump is leaving the G7 summit tonight, and there seems to be an understanding with Mark Carney that t…
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Mr. Speaker, free, prior and informed consent is given by the person in question. It is not something that is imposed on someone else. Basically, it is when the person feels ready to give it, because they have the sovereignty to make the decision and to say when they feel ready to give free, prior and informed consent. It is not up to Parliament to dictate when first nations feel ready to do so. T…
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Mr. Speaker, something unusual happened, namely that closure was adopted, and the official opposition agreed to have the entire House subjected to closure. I would like my colleague to comment on the consequences of his vote this morning and the precedent it sets, especially when we are talking about a bill that will give sweeping powers to the Prime Minister's committee, namely the Privy Council,…
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Mr. Speaker, in his song Les Yankees, Richard Desjardins sang the following: We come on behalf of Big Control ... The president has ordered me To bring peace to the entire world... Basically, this is what indigenous people are being told: We come as friends But enough discussion Now sign your submission... The government sends a letter and gives grand chiefs five days to relinquish their rights, s…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Bill C‑5, which the government is trying to push through using closure, is an insult to indigenous peoples. The Liberals want to give themselves the power to make all energy project decisions by fiat. They are first going to approve projects in Ottawa and then, when the decision is made and cannot be undone, they are going to pretend to consult indigenous peoples. It is a charade and …
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Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Would it be possible to grant the government the same amount of time for questions as all the opposition parties get? I get the impression that the government is not following the rules.
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Mr. Speaker, I have enormous respect for the member for Winnipeg North, particularly for his ability to listen during speeches. However, I do not feel like he listened to my speech, because I mentioned the points that he raised. That said, I would invite him to look at what the Auditor General actually did with regard to the recommendations. The member for Winnipeg North is usually able to read be…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question and his interest in accountability. I want to raise a very important point about government contracting rules. There is a big difference between competitive and non-competitive contracts. The threshold for being on the list was raised to less than $40,000 from less than $25,000 before 2019. Under that threshold, the government can tell a firm that…
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Mr. Speaker, this week, the Auditor General of Canada released four important reports. It is too bad that these facts are only coming to light today, after the election campaign. I think it would have been in the public interest for Canadians to have access to this information sooner. It might have changed they way they viewed this old Liberal government. After all, this is exactly what we need to…
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Mr. Speaker, since I enjoy debating with my colleague from Winnipeg North, I will cite another passage from the Auditor General's report. In report 4, paragraph 4.34 on page 12 states: We did not issue recommendations in this audit report. We encourage federal organizations to implement the recommendations from recent procurement audits.... This implies that the government has not done so. It has …
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Mr. Speaker, I mentioned earlier that, for first nations, decisions must be made with the next seven generations in mind. This idea motivates young people. With all due respect, I would like to suggest this: Perhaps we should replace you in your role as Speaker with an 18-year-old man or woman to remind us of the importance of this mindset. That would be an important symbol. In addressing the Chai…
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Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your appointment to the chair. This is the first time I have had the opportunity to speak to you inyour new role. I am very happy for you. I also want to use my first official speech to thank the people of Abitibi—Témiscamingue for their trust in me. Despite some headwinds, that trust remains strong. I was able to hold on to roughly the same amount of support from t…
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Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge that different places in Canada have different visions and that Quebec's policy works. What is the point of penalizing a government for taking bold action that works and that allows for cap and trade with California? There is a return to be made there. If we do the math, we easily come up with $814 million that could be invested in a variety of programs in Quebec. It do…
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Mr. Speaker, I would really like the member for Winnipeg North to tell us, following his intervention, what he thinks about the environment commissioner's report, which says that Canada's climate change adaptation strategy is missing essential elements and is progressing slowly. The government got rid of the carbon tax, a coercive measure that was working. Everyone got money, except Quebec. The pr…
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Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat hesitant. Out of respect for your position, I will do it, but I believe that this is how Quebeckers feel. For me, it is—
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my Conservative colleague for mentioning the importance of respect for provincial jurisdictions. We have not always felt that same level of respect from the Conservatives on this specific issue over the years, but that was in a previous Parliament. The government is coming in with a new attitude, but there is indeed one issue that has been overplayed. Seeing the consequences t…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Kings—Hants for his speech, and congratulate him on his appointment as parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister. I would imagine that this position will give him access to some important figures. I would like to apply the rule of three. At the end of December, we knew that there was a $50‑billion deficit for last year so far. If we apply the rule of thre…
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Mr. Speaker, it is not hard to put together a budget. It is a matter of determining where the revenue will come from, where it will be spent and how much is in the account. That is essentially what it boils down to. What will the government spend money on? We have heard quite a lot about that. The Liberals told us about it during the election campaign and in the Speech from the Throne. What will t…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague's speech and the answers he gave, and I have a very simple question for him. Is transparency an important value for this government? I really do not get the impression that it is.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech, which was particularly sensitive to the reality facing our families. However, I wonder if she could talk about this government's position. On the one hand, spending is clearly increasing. On the other hand, revenues are being reduced because taxes are being cut. Spending is going up and revenues are going down. Back in December, in a disastrous sit…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I was moved by my colleague from Peterborough's intervention. I also lost my father, in 2011. He loved his cigars, too, Panters if memory serves me correctly. I thank her for this duty to remember. It is important in the House. Remembering where we come from gives a great deal of meaning to our actions here in the House. We are here to debate an issue on which an agricultural producer…
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Mr. Speaker, the member for Edmonton Riverbend talked a lot about Alberta's economy, how proud he is to represent his riding and how proud he is of the Oilers. Obviously, I wish him all the best in the finals. He also talked about the Albertan economy and the province's entrepreneurial spirit. Does he actually appreciate what the Prime Minister and other Liberals are saying about creating one econ…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the election proved that the federal government treats indigenous people like second-class citizens. In Abitibi—Baie‑James—Nunavik—Eeyou, Inuit people were unable to vote. Reports indicate that polling station hours were not respected in at least six communities. The polling station in Ivujivik did not even open at all. No one was able to vote. If this happened in Toronto, it would be…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Winnipeg North for his remarks and for reminding us once again of our moral obligation. I actually want to ask him about morality. Does he think that his colleague from Terrebonne has a legitimate right to be here in the House? We know that Elections Canada screwed up some mail-in ballots. We also know that, in the judicial recount, four ballots on which only…
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Mr. Speaker, Elections Canada stripped Inuit people of their right to vote, the most fundamental right in a democracy. That is completely unacceptable, yet it is accepted. No one is talking about it. We have no right to condone the harm done to the Inuit by Elections Canada, whether through incompetence or negligence. What will the minister do to ensure that Elections Canada discloses everything t…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I would like to take advantage of what is likely my last speech in the House this year to wish everyone a merry Christmas. With that out of the way, I want to say that my colleague's speech is important. Approximately 80% of our exports to the United States are raw materials. The United States needs this raw material to process it. Would it not make sense to invest in processing our…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would have liked to speak to the international trade motion, but after listening carefully to my Conservative colleague's speech, I will ask him a question about the Cloverdale—Langley City byelection instead. The Conservative candidate who was elected is a former member of this Parliament known for her highly controversial opinions. For one thing, she is pro-life. I would like to k…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, on the whole, I find the amendment interesting. I am always in favour of more accountability in Parliament. Obviously, that has a lot to do with the work done in committee. I would like to mention something that we experienced at the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. There was a situation similar to the one today. A Conservative motion called on the Minister of Of…
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