Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, as I listened to my colleague's remarks, I was reminded of the debates we had at the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology. My colleague asked some very good questions. We have heard that the amount of money laundered in Canada could be as high as $113 billion a year, which is a staggering number. According to a United Nations statistic, the amount of money laundered worldwide…
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Mr. Speaker, in regard to Bill C-42, we were approached by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, or CFIB, which asked us to determine how we could help businesses, because one of the challenges is all the red tape that comes with this. We definitely agree that there should be more transparency, but at the same time we must ensure that this burden is not shouldered by all businesses, whi…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and for his thoughtfulness, particularly when he mentioned the people of his community, including his teacher, in those circumstances. I wonder if my colleague could comment on the whole notion of fighting fraud. At the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology, I asked Mr. Beaudoin from the RCMP whether his organization had enough resources to …
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Mr. Speaker, it is now official. The Stanley Cup is coming to Amos this summer, thanks to the excellent work of native son Nicolas Roy. This great centre and former Forestiers player will have his name forever engraved on the precious trophy that he and his Vegas Golden Knights teammates won last night. It has been 30 years since a hockey player from Abitibi—Témiscamingue last hoisted the emblem o…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, this debate is timely. Just this morning, at 9:45 a.m., I received a communiqué from the Abitibi—Témiscamingue CEGEP. It states that, in the midst of a housing crisis, applications for residence at the CEGEP have never been as high. The college is therefore calling on everyone to find additional apartments or rooms to rent to put a roof over the heads of the future Abitibi—Témiscaming…
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Madam Speaker, there is something rather ironic when we talk about the whole issue of access to housing. In my region, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, the vacancy rate is less than 1%. We cannot even house new workers, even those who would come to build the housing. How will we ultimately be able to implement a new housing strategy? That will take money and programs, but we will also need the temporary mea…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his input and for his support in these circumstances. That is support on behalf of the Liberal government, and it could mean a decisive moment in Canada's history and its economy. Action and change certainly have a cost, but the cost of inaction is even greater. Right now, the cost is obvious in the deforestation and the devitalization of our towns. The scar…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to my colleague from Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou. She represents a riding next to mine, and we have a lot of relationships in common. My riding shares a very long border with hers. Over the past few days, people in my region have been anxious, particularly because of the air quality. The fires were more prevalent in her riding, but she was on the gro…
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Madam Speaker, I would first like to offer my deepest condolences to a very important member of my team, Jean-François Vachon, who recently lost his grandmother. I extend my condolences to his family, and particularly his mother. I also want to say that I will be sharing my time with my colleague, the member for Laurentides—Labelle, with whom I also share Highway 110 and the boreal forest, which i…
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Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity again to acknowledge the courage and the work on the ground of my colleague from Abitibi—Baie‑James—Nunavik—Eeyou, who is more impacted than I am by the circumstances. I also want to acknowledge all of my colleagues from northern Quebec and other affected regions in Canada. In the context, obviously putting out the fires and saving these businesses is…
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Madam Speaker, thank you. I would like to begin by acknowledging the leadership of my colleague, the leader of the Green Party, who has been an inspiration for decades in the fight against climate change. I have to admit that today, I am feeling optimistic about the future. I hope that what is happening across Canada, especially back home in Quebec, sends a clear message that we need to change the…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, who is co-vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology and who is an inspiration to me, especially under the circumstances. As I said, I am going to hit the road so I can become the man on the ground that he has been for the people back home in his riding. He gave us several examples, including the lobster industry. I see a broader is…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, forest fires are currently burning across Quebec on a terrifying scale. The fires cover an area roughly equivalent to the Island of Montreal. People have had to be evacuated from Abitibi—Témiscamingue and northern Quebec, as well as the north shore. The smog filling the sky is a reminder that this situation is not normal. Once again, at a time of crisis, we can count on the solidarity…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to a subject that is vitally important to my region of Abitibi—Témiscamingue and all areas of northern Quebec that are dealing with raging wildfires. As my colleague mentioned, I am going to get back on the road following this evening's debate. It made sense for me to be here today. It gave me an opportunity to talk to many members, particularly on the governme…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Sudbury for her speech and her concern. Sudbury is like the Rouyn-Noranda of Ontario. I feel like I know her riding almost by heart, even though it has been a number of years since I went to see the Big Nickel as a small child. One of the issues that is of great concern to people in my region is air quality. I am sure the same is true in Sudbury. Even in pl…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I want to begin by thanking my colleague from Chicoutimi—Le Fjord for his kind words and for standing in solidarity with all regions of Quebec. I thank him for his kind words about my colleague from Lac-Saint-Jean. As he mentioned, now is the time to stand together. People in our communities are very anxious. I would like the member to talk about coordination between public safety o…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her excellent speech and her concern about the issue of indigenous communities. Of course, it is very difficult for me to suggest concrete solutions at this point, but, certainly, some will have to be found. It makes me wonder about the economic model that has been promoted for decades and that may have brought about the result we are seeing to…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the presence of students from Rivière-des-Quinze school, who have come all the way from Témiscamingue. I would like to acknowledge the presence of the mayor—
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Madam Speaker, I never imagined I would see people like the mayor of Latulipe‑et‑Gaboury here among us. They came here to learn. Now, to get back to the opioid crisis debate, I had a chance to talk with these students. We were wondering about a question that I would now like to ask my colleague who was with me yesterday at the entrepreneur caucus meeting. I know she has a special interest in many …
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Thank you, Madam Speaker. One of the reasons we in the Bloc Québécois define ourselves as the party of the regions is because we had the ability to defend the interest of hunters and farmers when they needed it, and that includes having the infamous list removed. To answer my colleague's question, there are certain initiatives happening in Quebec. When there are problematic situations, we make sur…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, who I was expecting on the soccer pitch this evening, but who was not there. I hope he will be there next time, because we played together last year. That said, I am pleased that he is addressing the subject of shooting clubs and sport shooting. I am a hunter. I have a hunting licence. It is a family activity that I wanted to do. In my case, it is more about ha…
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Madam Speaker, I will begin my remarks by thanking the pages as we take part in an evening debate. I do not know if this is a first for Parliament, but I am speaking while wearing my cleats, which I have not taken off because tonight was the long-awaited soccer game between the House of Commons representatives, the Commanders, and the team of pages. I think there were over a hundred of them on the…
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Madam Speaker, if people say that the Parti Québécois is the party of the regions, it has to do with interventions such as those. We are ensuring that hunters and farmers are not covered by this—
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Madam Speaker, I would like to take a second to thank the interpreters. I know that my speeches can be challenging for them sometimes and I want to take the time to thank them. I thank my colleague for his speech. We sense that he did his work and reflected on Bill C‑21 very constructively. I would be curious to hear his thoughts on the bill's process. Are there aspects that he was reticent about …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and his passion in this particular area. One of the things he mentioned was the training aspect, which is interesting, along with the amendments to the bill. I would also like to commend my colleague from Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia for her leadership in getting hunting guns removed from the bill, for example. Could this aspect be strengthened…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am extremely honoured today to speak about one of the great patriots of Abitibi—Témiscamingue, who will be honoured on National Patriots Day this weekend by the Société nationale des Québécois et des Québécoises de l'Abitibi‑Témiscamingue et du Nord‑du‑Québec. I am speaking of Jean‑Claude Beauchemin, mayor of Granada and later mayor of Rouyn‑Noranda. Jean‑Claude Beauchemin has alway…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I rise today in favour of an independent public inquiry into sports. The issue has become more important than ever and it is disappointing that the Minister of Sport thinks that this issue still requires nothing more than internal audits as cases come up. We all saw the leniency in the audits since, in less than a year, funding for Hockey Canada and Gymnastics Canada was restored. I…
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Madam Speaker, I am crossing my fingers that my colleague from Milton's positive leadership will lead to action. Otherwise, perhaps we can battle it out on the soccer field later. I am asking the parliamentary secretary to at least admit that, unfortunately, the government has failed in its duty to shed light on the management of abuse and sexual misconduct in sports. There is a lot of bureaucrati…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. I would like him to talk about how he sees the attack on our democracy. It is something that I keep coming back to but that is essential for me. Does my colleague see a threat? What can we do? Has he been pressured? Since it is dangerous to remain silent, how can we talk about this to ensure that precedents are not set? We are talking about China…
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Madam Speaker, in this debate, I would like to say that as an MP, I am very worried about the state of democracy. Can my colleague say whether he feels any pressure? Does he feel threatened? If so, how does that affect him and his ability to perform his role as an MP? As we know, several ridings were targeted. If he were one of those targeted, how would he be able to play his role independently? F…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I am glad to find out that the member has a seat on the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, because I have some questions. What would make a Prime Minister ignore recommendations and special security intelligence concerning Canada? It all seems very alarming. I mean, is it not essential to listen to what CSIS has to say? How are we supposed to perform our duti…
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Madam Speaker, obviously I am appalled by this whole situation. I am concerned about our parliamentary privilege. There is also the issue of security for us and for my family members. I would like my colleague to comment on the message that the Prime Minister's inaction is sending. How should we, as members of Parliament, interpret his inaction in relation to the fundamental public service that we…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question. I think that in the current context, his question answers itself. It is extremely worrisome. I admit that, as an MP, I feel concerned. Obviously, I have no ties to China. However, I am not surprised by the example from the member for Lac-Saint-Jean and his leadership on the issue of the Uyghurs and protecting these people. The Uyghurs…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan for his comments and his foresight, and especially for his willingness to educate all Canadians and members of the House of Commons about the importance of protecting themselves. I do not think that denying this information is the answer. On the contrary, I think we need to pass it on and address it. As far as China is concer…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her concern for this issue. Yes, transparency is part of the solution, because without transparency, we are sure to repeat past mistakes. Let me draw a parallel with the holding of a public inquiry in the world of sports. We want this kind of inquiry because we want strong recommendations that will have the force of law. We want to get to the bottom of thing…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech and her awareness of such a fundamental issue. I have asked this question several times today, but it is absolutely fundamental for me. As a member of Parliament, what aspect affects her work? Does she feel completely capable and independent to make decisions, or does she feel some pressure and a threat to her independence and her ability to make …
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Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean. Like my colleagues, I rise today to speak about China's interference in political and public affairs and the breach of privilege of a member of this House. Obviously, it is one member, but all of us are under attack in this situation. I will try to make this quick because I unders…
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Madam Speaker, I want to ask a question based on a classic speech by my colleague from Joliette. I hope I am giving proper attribution to this speech. We are going to play Jeopardy! I will read a quote, and my colleague will try to guess who said it and how it relates to Bill S-6. The quote says that consumers, the Union des producteurs agricoles and the Quebec government are asking for transparen…
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Madam Speaker, in a bill on modernization and regulations, I feel compelled to pay tribute to a woman from my region, Jocelyne Trudel, who has to retire from her job at the Caisse Desjardins because her term is up, in line with regulations. I want to pay tribute to her because, first of all, I was a member of the board of directors of the credit union. I had to resign when I was elected. This woma…
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Madam Speaker, seeing that my hon. colleague is so enthusiastic, I would like to ask him if he is ready to entertain the idea of separatists being appointed to a reformed Senate. I am not saying that we would go there. I am curious if he would be ready to entertain even that idea. It does represent the opinion of a significant number of Quebeckers.
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Madam Speaker, one thing that stood out from my colleague's speech was the part specifically related to Bill C-27 and the importance of regulating artificial intelligence. He mentioned the great work done by the member for Windsor West. Perhaps that member's most concrete contribution to this issue so far was to divide the debate, until the NDP eventually asked for two votes on the same issue, whi…
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Madam Speaker, my colleague's speech made me reflect on the importance of decentralization and local governments. One of the notable examples he gave involving the prairie dog is a result of super-centralization. Making decisions that apply from coast to coast to coast has serious repercussions in areas that are really crucial to the development of our towns and our lands. My question is pretty st…
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Madam Speaker, what is happening right now is quite shocking. I would like to tell my colleague about the report prepared by the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology, which I mentioned earlier. The report shows the economic impact of immigration delays on small and medium-sized businesses. Madam Speaker, in my riding and yours, we are losing many workers because the agreements are making …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Timmins-James Bay, my neighbour, for allowing me to speak to this issue. Barely a century ago, Rouyn‑Noranda was the second most cosmopolitan city in Canada. Before Toronto and Vancouver there was Rouyn‑Noranda. This was mostly due to the arrival of people from all over the world. At the time, regulations favoured the massive arrival of immigrants who came …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his passion for trademark protection and his interest in creating increasingly modern and robust legislation. I would remind him that the objective is to ensure that our local industries are as successful as possible. That requires a legal mechanism that will protect our economy. It is not the rest of the world's economy that we need to protect; it is our ow…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to a bill that responds to repeated requests from small and medium-sized businesses. It also contains provisions that affect large corporations, which will have to be examined more carefully. I would like to begin by thanking my colleague from Joliette who has been strong and agile, just like Matthew Tkachuk in his fight against Toronto. That is what is sometim…
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Mr. Speaker, there is not much point to this debate if we do not address the real problem. I am not a great economist in life, but to me, it boils down to supply and demand. According to 2016 numbers, we should be building 100,000 more housing units and, in this area too, Canada is the worst in the G7. We are going to need to invest in housing, especially social and affordable housing, including i…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers will have two new reasons to watch NFL games. Two of our own heard their names called in the draft last week. Victoriaville's Matthew Bergeron was selected in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons, after an outstanding run on the offensive line at Syracuse University and the Cégep de Thetford. The 23-year-old bulldozer is expected to clear a path straight to the end zone …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, unfortunately, the victims of misconduct are not reassured. Many have testified that they do not have confidence in the current process at the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, which routinely dismisses two-thirds of complaints. Unfortunately, Hockey Canada's redemption—whether genuine or not—does not help gymnasts, skiers, water polo players, soccer players, fencers, boxe…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, Ottawa has reinstated Hockey Canada's funding, but nothing has been solved with regard to sexual misconduct in sport. The minister decided to make a deal without an appropriate inquiry and without even waiting for the findings of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. The testimony heard at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage again this week would leave no one indiff…
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