Parliamentary Speeches
634 speeches by Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay — Page 2 of 13
Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the bill before us contains a number of items. First, the good news: This time, unlike the last agreement tabled here, the deadline between tabling an agreement and introducing the bill ratifying it in the House was met. That did not happen for the United Kingdom's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP. That bill is currently …
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Mr. Speaker, I spoke about it for about 20 minutes already. I do not know what else I could say. Let us move away from the agreement, and I will talk in general terms about what we need. I want to come back to my bill, C‑251. Hopefully, if it does come back to the House, the Conservatives will support it. That would be much appreciated. It would also allow us to regain the trust of the Americans, …
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Mr. Speaker, I want to say hello to all my colleagues. Please excuse my hoarse voice. I seem to have caught a cold, probably from partying too hard over the holidays. My energy levels are still not back to normal, and neither is my voice. In any case, I am happy to be here. It lifts my spirits. I want to wish everyone a happy new year, although it is getting rather late to say that. Today, we are …
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Mr. Speaker, I think that, as we pursue a more stable geopolitical environment, that is a given. It would help restore ties with the United States. It is a model that has proven its worth. I am not saying that is the only reason. If the model does not work, I would not say that we need to follow it just for the sake of following it. If it works, why not draw inspiration from it? That is what I am …
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Mr. Speaker, I do not want to keep giving the same answer to these questions. His colleague just asked the same question. The positive parts are positive. I have no problem saying so. That is all.
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Mr. Speaker, I honestly have nothing against the agreement and the fact that it includes grains. That is fine, and I am sure it will create opportunities. If the agreement comes into force, I will definitely hold training sessions with farmers, the Quebec farmers' union and local chambers of commerce to explain what they can do. We will help them to ensure that everything goes smoothly. I chose to…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's intervention, and I wholeheartedly agree. However, to be honest, I did not hear any specific questions. I will simply say that I thank him for his work in this area. We are also working together as part of certain interparliamentary associations, some of which specifically focus on the issue of human rights violations in China and on Chinese infl…
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Mr. Chair, I would not have wanted to leave my colleague without one last question like this: What does he think of all the money that has been poured into an industry that seems to be an obsession, while so many other sectors that are equivalent in terms of the number of jobs are completely ignored because their only misfortune is that they are in Quebec?
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Mr. Chair, I ask myself this question. What does my colleague think about the fact that trucks built here were originally duty free when they were sent to the United States, but have not been since October? What does that say about the Prime Minister's negotiating skills, which were supposed to be so extraordinary?
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Madam Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague opposite a question. Regardless of the substance, we have already said that we are in favour of this agreement, despite certain details that we can examine together in committee. I hope that he will vote with me against some of the more contentious aspects. However, that said, we are in favour of the agreement itself. What does he think about the fac…
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Madam Speaker, I want to ask my colleague a question, because her answer provided a nice segue. She just talked about the negotiations that took place under the government of Prime Minister Harper. However, that government also adopted a policy on introducing and tabling agreements and treaties in Parliament. Currently, that policy is not being followed, given that the government introduced the bi…
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Mr. Chair, it is costing us dearly. It is costing us a lot to have a government that only cares about Ontario and that backs down on transportation electrification. I think my colleague can speak to that even better than I can. He gave some compelling examples. The government tells a company to go ahead, and then they abandon it. It also costs us when a supposedly brilliant negotiator gets elected…
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Mr. Chair, I want to begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with the member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue. This debate is about one of the most emblematic industries for Canada and Ottawa. That does not mean that this industry is not fragile, but it is certainly something that Canada's elite are constantly obsessed with, to the point of forgetting all other industries. They are nowhere to be f…
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Madam Speaker, I apologize because you must be getting sick of hearing my voice, but I have not received an answer yet. I asked two members on both sides of the House the same question. I will ask it again now. What does my colleague think about the fact that the government did not follow the existing policy, the public policy adopted under the Harper government, if I am not mistaken, that there s…
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Mr. Speaker, as I said at the outset a few weeks ago, the Bloc Québécois will vote in favour of this bill even though it will oppose investor-state dispute settlement during clause-by-clause consideration, since we have always been against that. My question will not be on the substance of the agreement, which is good for everyone. My colleague and I once served together on the Standing Committee o…
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Mr. Chair, that is absolutely the case. Unfortunately, Ottawa put an end to sales quotas and purchase support measures. Of course, the future lies in the development of the electric auto industry, but it must be done the right way. The battery sector, including processing of critical minerals, would have been the best way forward. That is what should have been done, rather than subsidizing exclusi…
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Mr. Chair, I certainly would not say that the Quebec government has gone too far. However, I would say that Ottawa went too far in putting the brakes on electrification. I gave some examples, such as the rollbacks in terms of incentives. My colleague tells us that he is representing his riding. I am fortunate to represent a riding that includes a city in Quebec with the largest number of green lic…
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Mr. Chair, my comments will stray somewhat from what my colleague was talking about. He and I probably disagree on the issue of electric batteries. I see the electrification of transportation as the future of the industry. How does he explain the fact that 90% of federal funds were invested in Ontario, while Quebec was left with crumbs? Quebec has always been at the forefront in this area, while t…
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Mr. Speaker, this bill is clearly based on very commendable and noble ideas. Furthermore, we truly believe there are some elements that are interesting enough to warrant closer examination, but certain details still need to be worked out. This idea seems to be inspired by the Americans and directly drawn from the 1990s. We know that when the Americans tightened sanctions against several countries,…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a fundamentally different opinion from my colleague on several points, particularly the idea of forcing and imposing energy projects without public support. However, I do agree with him on one point, namely that visits to Washington are a smokescreen, ultimately yielding no concrete results and leading nowhere. For example, during the much-touted televised meeting, the Prime Mi…
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Mr. Speaker, there is one measure in the budget that did not get much attention. This measure allows the federal government to exempt itself from the law in the name of innovation or economic growth. Power is quietly being given to the minister, who can temporarily exempt anyone from any federal law based on promises of innovation or economic growth. It seems to me that this opens the door to a nu…
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Madam Speaker, I presume that my colleague is also in favour of a durable resolution as part of the renegotiations of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and would agree that we can no longer allow endless lawsuits that bankrupt industries.
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Mr. Chair, as we know, the softwood lumber crises began about 40 years ago. They ebb and flow, so much so that they have unfortunately become a kind of background noise as of late. I would still like to share some of the things I have seen here since 2019, when I was first elected. First, I saw the renegotiation of NAFTA, when the government unfortunately did not seize the opportunity to review th…
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Mr. Chair, I was not sure it would be my turn at this point, but I am pleased to rise to speak. Once again, we are having this take-note debate. This must be the third time we have had such a debate in the evening since I became a member of Parliament. However, I am sure there have been many more for a crisis that has been going on for 40 years. Unfortunately, this crisis is so recurrent and repet…
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Mr. Chair, there are several layers to that question. There are, of course, the assistance programs and solutions that we are proposing in the short and medium term, because there is a real emergency. I think they are clear. We have discussed them. We have not been able to get a clear answer on this. Now, my colleague is on the government side. We also know that there will soon, very soon, within …
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Mr. Chair, I get the impression that this has not been a top priority. I have given several examples of missed opportunities, of times when this should have been at the forefront and at the top of the list. However, the industry has always been ignored, even though it is an extremely important industry, one that is also important to the Americans. During a mission to Washington, I met with represe…
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Mr. Chair, that is an excellent question, and I do not understand why lumber is not regarded more as a major industry and considered a major material. For years now, government reports have indicated that we could radically increase the amount of wood used in construction as an alternative to concrete, because it is more environmentally friendly and emits far less greenhouse gas. It is an industry…
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Mr. Chair, as I have said and my colleagues have repeated several times, the short- or medium-term solution is immediate assistance. As I said earlier, the long-term solution would be to resolve this issue within the framework of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, which will be reviewed no later than next year. There needs to be a mechanism in place in case of trade actions, because no one…
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Mr. Speaker, tonight we are debating Bill C‑233, an act to amend the Export and Import Permits Act, introduced by the member for Vancouver East. I will begin by outlining the main points. Bill C‑233 amends the Export and Import Permits Act to remove certain exemptions for the export of arms, ammunition and military or dual-use equipment. The objectives of the bill are as follows: (a) clarifying th…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his eloquent presentation. He talked about the elimination of the carbon tax, which created a debt that has yet to be paid. The Quebec National Assembly roundly condemned this unpaid debt. We both sat in the last Parliament. Members will recall that every time the Conservatives rose during question period, they said the government was going to “triple, triple,…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for contributing to the debate by raising these points. I am going to talk about this later, because I will be giving a speech on the topic, so I will not delve into it too deeply right now. However, let us consider a hypothetical scenario, because I want to make sure I understand all the details. Daesh, in Iraq and Syria, has often stored arms or ammunition in ho…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I apologize for interrupting the hon. member. Some people seem to think they are in their living rooms right now, and it is very unpleasant.
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Mr. Speaker, today I want to pay tribute to not one, but two of my predecessors, both of whom, by happy coincidence, announced that they were retiring at roughly the same time. Yvan Loubier represented the riding of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot from 1993 to 2007. He was the first Bloc Québécois member of Parliament in the region after the party's creation and is known as an experienced and competent parl…
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Madam Speaker, there is something I would like to understand. How can the government say it is concerned about climate change, or even aware of it, set targets and yet cut back on environmental protections and green energy, while massively subsidizing oil and gas companies? In what world would that lead to a result that makes any sense?
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Mr. Speaker, I just want to mention that we in the Bloc Québécois agree with this bill and we will be voting in favour of it. We too have long been opposed to Ottawa's interference in Quebec's jurisdiction. It often ignores the particularities of our ecosystems. I would like to ask my colleague if he has any knowledge of the fishing industry in Quebec and how this bill would specifically address i…
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Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister returns from a mission to Asia, let us not forget that China trades heavily in products made using forced labour, including child labour. Canada's economic diversification must never be achieved through modern-day slavery and by violating human rights. The Bloc Québécois introduced Bill C-251 to block imports from regions suspected of using modern slavery, unless…
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Mr. Speaker, the dispute with Washington is far from over. The Liberals have even gone so far as to apologize on bended knee when we are the ones who are being negatively affected by the tariffs. Since this dispute is far from over, the priority in tomorrow's budget must be to support the people. We made six demands based on the needs of Quebeckers: funding for health care, fair pensions for senio…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his highly enlightening speech. There is something I do not understand. What is causing the growing number of crimes committed by repeat offenders? Something about that perplexes me. Could it be that the causes go deeper than the parole system alone? Should we be looking somewhere else? My colleague is an expert. I would appreciate it if he could enlighten us …
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Madam Speaker, on the same point of order, I would just like to inform you that the Bloc Québécois is going to make a statement, but at a later time.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be with you at this critical time as this sitting of the House draws to a close. During these final two minutes in your company, I will be pleased to speak to you and hope that I will not put you to sleep or make you wonder whether this will ever end. Since my time is very limited, I will get straight to the point: The Bloc Québécois is going to vote against this bill.…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by saying that we agree with Bill C-14. Obviously, like everything else, we will study it more thoroughly in committee. My colleague, the Bloc Québécois justice critic, will be taking care of this file. However, certain questions come to mind. Contrary to popular belief, we know that the number of inmates awaiting trial has never been higher. The percentage of …
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Mr. Speaker, why not simply release the money owed to Quebec and the provinces for housing—we are talking about billions of dollars—with no strings attached, and I want to emphasize the “no strings attached” part, instead of introducing a bill that ultimately aims to issue a mandate for developing a strategy? We would like to know how this bill really changes anything and what purpose it serves, c…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to know if my colleague agrees with us and with the customs officers' union. We all agree that there is a staffing problem. It is all well and good to say that staffing levels are going to be increased. It is time to do it. I am not minimizing the issue. There is a staffing problem; there is a staff shortage. Does my colleague agree that Canada Border Services Agency offi…
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Madam Speaker, there are fairly significant differences of opinion between the Bloc Québécois and the NDP but, on the issue of workers' rights, I think we can often find common ground. In this particular case, a customs union has commented on the bill, saying that they have been making demands for many years yet nobody is listening to them and they are not being consulted, either on this matter or…
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Mr. Speaker, this is an important issue, especially in these troubled times, these times of crisis, these global hard times. The world is changing in potentially dangerous ways. However, we should not overlook the fact that the global issues of misery, poverty, exploitation and violence have never been completely eradicated at any point in history. Too often, most of the time in fact, they fall th…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Could you please ask members who are not interested in the speech to take their conversations outside?
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-251, An Act to amend the Customs Act and the Customs Tariff (forced labour and child labour). Mr. Speaker, only one shipment from all regions of origin combined has been seized and detained at Canadian customs due to the use of forced labour in the manufacturing of the products it contained. In contrast, the United States has seized millions of U.S. dollars' wor…
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to rise this evening as the Bloc Québécois critic for international trade to speak to Bill C‑228. This bill, which I think is very important, seeks to strengthen transparency and parliamentary oversight around trade agreements. Ottawa's lack of transparency in these matters is downright monarchical. I have been here for six years, and as my colleagues have said, no…
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Mr. Speaker, in her speech, my colleague did a good job summarizing the Bloc Québécois's position, which is what I will be standing up for at the Standing Committee on National Defence when this bill is studied there, probably soon. In short, we are thinking that it is about time. We will not say it is too little, too late. It took a while, but at least there is something now. While it is far from…
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Mr. Speaker, what does my colleague think about General Vance's statement that he had nothing to fear because he controlled the judicial process? How did we get to this point, where a person in authority believes he is above the rules, above the law, and safe from punishment because judgments involving military personnel are under the control of the military high command itself?
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