Government Orders
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, 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 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.
Read full speech →Government Orders
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 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…
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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…
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…
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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 →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…
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…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
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 →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…
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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…
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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…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, regarding the Canada Post strike, I want to express my solidarity with the workers and my hope that an agreement will be reached quickly. This strike has proven once again the need for a 10-day passport pickup service in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, northern Quebec and the north shore. When time is short, our residents have only one option in all of Quebec: to drive six hours or more in the…
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Mr. Speaker, the minister had the nerve to tell me that, officially, 96% of Canadians have access to passport services within 10 business days and a half-hour drive from home. However, people in my region have to drive six hours or more. It is a two- or three-day trip, on top of all the fees they have to pay to get expedited service. In the middle of winter, dozens of people have to set out on the…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my colleague. After listening to his speech, I would like to hear him talk about fairness. First, I would like to hear what he has to say about fairness for fishers in Quebec, those in the Magdalen Islands, the Gaspé, the North Shore and the Lower St. Lawrence. I would also like to hear what he has to say about fairness for first nations. How can we ensure that t…
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Mr. Speaker, earlier, when I asked a question about fairness concerning access to fish, I was told that such matters fall under provincial jurisdiction. Obviously, we know that. However, I would like to hear the member's thoughts on that in light of the answer that I got from his colleague. Do the Conservatives think that fish care about areas of jurisdiction?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Windsor West, for raising this issue in the House. I want to acknowledge how very patient he has been. When I was on the Standing Committee on Industry a year ago, we were talking about this issue. We were working on it. We could already see the bill's shortcomings. Basically, the bill was outdated as soon as it was introduced. Why? It is because C…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want my colleague and the rest of the House to be aware of a security and safety issue, particularly in the context of drug use. Indigenous communities are asking for extra support to be able to ensure the autonomy of their police services. This could greatly improve their situation. I want my colleague to be aware of the situation of the Long Point community, in Winneway, Témisca…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his interest in this important issue. The study made several recommendations aimed at strengthening first nations' capacity and autonomy to invest in housing. I could talk about recommendations 8, 15, 16 and many others, but I want to focus on recommendation 9, which concerns one of the important needs that complements what I have mentioned. I am referring t…
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour, once again, to rise in the House to speak about access to housing, which is a fundamental issue, particularly for first nations. I would like to inform you that I will be sharing my time with my colleague, the member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert. I would like to start by mentioning that question period in the House is always a bit ironic. For months now, the governmen…
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Madam Speaker, it is to her credit that she wants to know more. Yänonhchia' is an initiative by and for indigenous people. That is the first thing we need to remember. Yänonhchia' also has links to major organizations such as NACCA, the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association, and the AFNQL, the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, which is very active when it comes to addressin…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her dedication to this cause, year after year. I want to talk to her about recommendation 3, which states the following: That the Government of Canada continue to address the 231 Calls for Justice in the National Inquiry's Final Report, Reclaiming Power and Place, and that particular attention be paid to...improving access to housing for Indigenous women and…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to think about the problem with SDTC in the current context. Also, in the context of the election of the president-elect of the United States, how can Canada and Quebec compete economically with the United States? There is a North American context, and there is a context of interdependence in which we must be able to deal with the Chinese market in particular. I woul…
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Madam Speaker, as we know, my colleague from Milton is often tasked by the Liberal government to defend the indefensible. He mentioned that there was a lot of investment in Ontario, in particular in Stellantis, Volkswagen and Honda. These factories will be operational in three or four years. The problem is that Canada does not produce lithium. Right now, there is a mine in my riding that produces …
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Madam Speaker, I would like to return to recommendation 3, “That the Government of Canada promote innovation and support the electrification of marine and aviation transport as a means of reducing emissions.” It was the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers that made me realize the importance of investing in a national aerospace policy, which would allow companies like Bomb…
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Madam Speaker, I would like my colleague to comment on recommendation 14. Of course, I will read it. I do not want her to have to guess as to what I am talking about. That the Government of Canada conduct a gap analysis of the incentives in place for clean technology in Canada and the United States, to study differences and understand policy gaps within the specific regional and national context t…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for bringing this matter to the House today. There is something interesting about the fact that the Conservatives are focusing on sustainable development issues. That being said, I am nonetheless concerned about happens in the future. I want to highlight recommendation 10: That the Government of Canada integrate its support for clean technology within all existi…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague the following question. Is he not embarrassed at all by the current situation? Does his government not want to be transparent about Sustainable Development Technology Canada? I see this as an important issue because it has to do with this government's credibility in the eyes of Parliament. It is also a matter of credibility in the eyes of our SMEs, par…
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Madam Speaker, this will be an opportunity for me to talk about identity and, above all, cultural appropriation. I want to talk about identity as a collective commitment toward first nations in a context of reconciliation, evidently. I rise today to intervene on the 18th report, which was given to my colleagues by the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, on the matter of first na…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Winnipeg North for speaking about this historic moment. I want to commend the leadership of the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, who did indeed recognize the leadership of the Red River Métis. I have previously discussed several issues with President Chartrand. We have had some friendly, productive discussions. I apologize for not being able to attend l…
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Madam Speaker, I really enjoy listening to the member for Winnipeg North in the House because I find that he always manages to present new arguments on subjects that are not always easy to understand. This time, however, I believe that he is off topic, and I find that disappointing. In my view, the primary issue is the theft of first nations identity, the fact that people can claim indigenous iden…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his intervention, because something needed to be said about this issue that has brought shame on this Parliament. I would like to commend him, as he is a very active member of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. I am wondering how first nations are reacting to seeing a prominent government member misusing indigenous ident…
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Madam Speaker, it is interesting to hear our colleague say that some companies have been removed from the list of eligible businesses. However, why did it take scandals like Global Health Imports and ArriveCAN for the government to act? I am going to ask him this: If indigenous people had been able to determine for themselves which companies qualified as indigenous businesses, could these scandals…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals seem to be telling us that there is no need to get all worked up, but we are talking about indigenous identity theft. There is a problem when indigenous people themselves are telling Liberal MPs that they do not recognize them as indigenous. A similar situation came up last year with the member for Nickel Belt. I am anxious to see what will happen. Does the member for Coq…
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Madam Speaker, I want to commend my colleague from Winnipeg Centre for her courage. She has been a member of the House for several years now and has always demanded respect for indigenous rights. Indigenous MPs can really move the debate forward. Truth is a prerequisite for reconciliation, and sometimes the truth needs to be shouted out in institutions like the House of Commons. The member for Win…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague for his speech and for the energy he invests in fighting for these issues. Unfortunately, a number of House of Commons committees have had to study issues involving indigenous funding and identity theft. Why do I say unfortunately? I say it because these problems are recurrent. They have been examined by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts …
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Madam Speaker, my colleague and I are both vice-chairs of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. I thank him for his intervention. I would like to know whether the amendment he just moved has anything to do with the fact that the Liberals tried to pull a fast one on us in committee. We wanted the official languages minister to appear and answer the committee's questions. At the…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened to the speech by my colleague from Kingston and the Islands. I have one question. Does he condone the actions of his Liberal colleague from Edmonton Centre? Does he believe that his colleague did the right thing? Does he believe that he should face no consequences for claiming to be indigenous when he is not? I would like him to comment on that.
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Madam Speaker, yes, we must speak out against situations where people get access to funding even though they are not indigenous or, in this case, not an indigenous woman. My colleague and I attended an event held by the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association. This association has created support programs for entrepreneurs and committees where young people and women get to participate…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for speaking French with so much passion. I thank him for reaching out to the Bloc Québécois in these circumstances and for expressing his affection for first nations' members. I would like to answer his question by giving an example. There is a difference between cultural appropriation, which we must speak out against as we are today, and cultural appreciation.…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today I wish to acknowledge the extraordinary achievement of one of Quebec's most important voices, Pierre Houde, who has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. On November 11, he received the Foster Hewitt Award, presented by the National Hockey League Broadcasters' Association to honour a member of the radio and television industry for his entire career. He is, my word, the fou…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise to mark the passing of one of the great community builders in my region, Philippe Barrette. Mr. Barrette dedicated more than 30 years of his life to politics. He served as chair of the Lac-Témiscamingue school board, as mayor of the Town of Temiscaming for 20 years, and as reeve of his RCM. I would like to point out that he was a great advocate for our region, and he worked clo…
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Madam Speaker, we know that my colleague from Windsor West is a long-standing advocate for human rights. I think he has been in the House since at least 2006. I would like to hear his comments about the federal government's inaction and the image it is projecting on the world stage. Above all, I would like to know how fed up he is with the fact that this government keeps kicking the problem down t…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Chicoutimi—Le Fjord for the sensitivity he showed in his remarks on an issue that is taking a major human toll. This is a serious blot on Canada's record and it is a disgrace. The Bloc Québécois has moved this motion to put pressure on the government to introduce the bill it has promised, not once but twice. The bill would seek to ban forced lab…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his comments and his sensitivity. This major issue is a disgrace to Canada and the entire world. We must find ways to take action and change things. My question is very simple. Will a future Conservative government commit to introducing the bill that the Liberals have been refusing to introduce for the past two years and since coming to power nearly a decade…
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Madam Speaker, first I will mention one positive aspect of the recommendations. I hope my colleagues take the time to look at the 26 recommendations in this report. There are some positives. There is a recommendation for the mining industry and the natural resources industry in general. It is to increase ways to support the participation of indigenous peoples in the natural resources industry. The…
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Madam Speaker, the Indian Act is a blot on Canada's history. I agree that it needs to be repealed. However, I think that we need to be aware that the Indian Act provides a certain security for many first nations people. We will need to sit down with indigenous communities to give them the means, powers and economic tools for self-determination so that they can do even more than is possible under t…
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Madam Speaker, my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie is absolutely right. In matters of truth and reconciliation, the concept of truth is fundamental. In a way, history needs to be rewritten, but it must be written by indigenous peoples. That way, we will be able to understand the mechanisms that landed us with non-indigenous people claiming to be indigenous, having access to government cont…
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