Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I would invite my colleague to look her constituents in the eye and tell them where the Bloc Québécois was when our government lowered the age of retirement eligibility for seniors from 67 to 65. We set up a dental care program for Canadians for which over 972,000 Quebeckers are eligible. People in her riding are benefiting from that. When she is out and about in her riding at Chris…
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Madam Speaker, the government is aware that this labour action will have a major and immediate impact on millions of people. No one wants this strike. Canada's small businesses and charitable organizations rely on Canada Post during the holidays. We understand in particular that the most significant impact will be felt in remote regions. We want just one thing. We encourage both parties to continu…
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Madam Speaker, I had the pleasure of celebrating not one but two 90th anniversaries in my riding. The Lions Clubs of Lachute and Buckingham have both reached this important milestone in their history. The Buckingham Lions Club was founded on December 4, 1934, followed by the Lachute Lions Club a few days later, on December 11, 1934. Lions Clubs are charitable organizations that help the less fortu…
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Madam Speaker, one thing the Bloc Québécois cannot be faulted for is inconsistency. Yesterday, the Bloc Québécois voted against a measure to cut the GST. I would remind my colleague opposite that Bloc Québécois members also voted against lowering the retirement age from 67 to 65. They voted against the guaranteed income supplement for seniors. They voted against the 10% increase for seniors aged 7…
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Mr. Speaker, I would invite the Bloc Québécois members to go see their constituents and look them in the eye. Every time they tell them that they support a pension increase for seniors between 65 and 74, they should have the guts to admit that they also voted against every measure proposed for Quebec seniors. Bloc members did not want a GIS increase. They did not want a dental plan. They did not w…
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Mr. Speaker, where was the Bloc Québécois when we increased the OAS for seniors aged 75 and over? The Bloc voted against it. Where was the Bloc Québécois when we brought in a 10% increase to the GIS, a benefit for the most vulnerable and needy seniors? Where was the Bloc Québécois when we voted in favour of the Canadian dental care plan? The Bloc voted against it. The Bloc Québécois has consistent…
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Mr. Speaker, for the past 11 years, the Fairmont Château Montebello has organized a major Christmas tree-decorating celebration known as Trees of Hope. The majestic Château is filled with trees sponsored and decorated by generous local businesses, and all the money raised is donated to the Petite-Nation food bank. I had the pleasure of decorating my Tree of Hope this year with my daughters Jade an…
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Mr. Speaker, I recently learned that the folk music group Le Diable à cinq has been selected to represent Canada at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. This group is well known in Quebec and is originally from Ripon, which is in my riding. This is one of the most prestigious events in the world, and it will be held in May 2025. What an honour. The group will be part of the National Arts Centre delega…
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Madam Speaker, on the eve of Remembrance Day, I suggest that we pay tribute to the veterans who served our country, the women and men who sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom to ensure our future and that of our children. We must never forget their sacrifices and the terrible consequences of war. Let us also pay tribute to the members of the Canadian Armed Forces. On Remembrance Day, we h…
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Mr. Speaker, the ability to feed our children is a priority in Quebec and in Canada. The Conservatives and the Bloc voted against the best possible plan for young people in school. I defy my opposition colleagues to say the same thing to our Quebeckers and to look teachers in the eye and tell them that feeding our school children is unnecessary.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a good day because we reached a milestone. One million Canadians have received dental care from an oral health professional. More than 22,340 oral and dental care professionals, or nearly 90% of them, have signed up for the program nationwide. Every year, many seniors end up in hospital because of untreated infections that could have been prevented if they had received t…
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Mr. Speaker, taking care of seniors also means taking care of their oral health. As my Bloc colleague well knows, there are hundreds and hundreds of seniors who have benefited from dental insurance in her riding, yet she voted against this measure. The reality is that the dental plan enables us to give $731 to each senior in her riding to help them take care of their oral health. Then there is the…
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Mr. Speaker, our government has done more for seniors than any other government. Where was the Bloc Québécois when we lowered the age of eligibility from 67 to 65? Where was the Bloc Québécois when we increased OAS by 10% for the most vulnerable seniors? My colleague is a woman herself, and we are here to protect older women, who are often the most vulnerable. Many seniors are unable to work. Queb…
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Mr. Speaker, the Outaouais-Laurentians branch of the Fédération de l'UPA in is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. I would like to highlight the important work it has accomplished for farmers in the Laurentians and Outaouais, which includes my riding. This branch represents some 2,259 farms and their 3,410 farmers and therefore accounts for nearly 10% of all farm businesses in Quebec. I wo…
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois has had many opportunities to support seniors. It is somewhat ironic to hear what my colleague opposite is saying. She supported raising the age of pension eligibility to 67, yet now she is advocating for seniors aged 65 and over to get an increase. The Bloc voted against increasing the GIS supplement. They voted against the dental plan. The Liberals are the ones wh…
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Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to pay tribute to Hubert Pilon, a resident of Lachute, in my riding of Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation. Last spring, Mr. Pilon received the Quebec Lieutenant Governor's Medal in recognition of his involvement in numerous causes as well as his many achievements. An engineer by trade, Mr. Pilon has been involved in his community at all levels, both at the municipal level…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank my colleague on behalf of people with disabilities in Canada for his collaboration on the first Canada Disability Benefit Act. Building an inclusive Canada is the cornerstone of our government. We have made historic investments of $6 billion, and that is just the start. Now, we just need to work together to develop the rest and establish a plan…
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Madam Speaker, it is also important to inform that 79% that it is our government, who, since 2015, did all the great things for seniors. What did we do? We reset the age of retirement from 67 to 65. We increased by 10% the pension for the most vulnerable seniors, including women, those living with disabilities, those who are in need. We increased the guaranteed income supplement. Who voted against…
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Madam Speaker, there is no question of dividing our seniors up. We know how important they are. I have had my Quebec FADOQ membership card since I turned 50. I have been in at least four clubs since then. I am only 58 now, and I am considered a senior. Who decides who gets a senior's card? Some people are seniors at 65 years old. People in Quebec are seniors at 60 years old. My colleague was in th…
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Mr. Speaker, we have often heard Bloc members say that they vote for whatever is good for Quebec. Why, then, did the Bloc Québécois vote against changing the program's age of eligibility from 67 to 65? This is on top of the GIS increase. We increased the GIS at the very start of our term. Today, we are talking about increasing the pensions of the most vulnerable seniors, those aged 75 and over. Th…
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Mr. Speaker, our government's approach to seniors has been very thoughtful. In my riding, Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation, we are very involved in projects to help seniors, whether with respect to old age security, lowering the age of eligibility from 67 to 65 or, now, the dental care program. We have also brought in the New Horizons for Seniors program. In Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation, we have been th…
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Madam Speaker, my colleague must know that we are in the middle of a debate and that there will be a vote at the end. That is how it works. Let me just explain to her how the House of Commons works. In the House of Commons, a member proposes an idea, we debate it, and then at the end, we vote. My colleagues will see at the end of the debate how we are going to vote. I will, however, say that we ha…
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Madam Speaker, in politics it is easy to say we can move $3 billion from one line item to another. I would like to ask my colleague if we should cut $3 billion from the dental care plan, which we just launched and is working very well, and redirect that money to seniors. Should we take $3 billion from somewhere else, like the breakfast program we want to set up so that young Canadians start their …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity today to congratulate Simon Henneuse, a 24-year-old young man with autism spectrum disorder. Simon was hired through the Canada summer jobs program by Initiatives Biodiversité, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of endangered species across the Laurentian region. Simon recently helped rescue a painted turtle hit by a vehicle o…
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Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to my sister, Sylvie, who left us far too young at the age of 67. She was a caring woman who loved her family. She dedicated 37 years of her life to the Library of Parliament. She loved her husband, Frank, deeply, she was a trusted confidante to her daughter, Giovanna, and she loved her granddaughter, Giada, unconditionally. Sylvie was my number one supporter. She …
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to change my vote on C‑377. I am voting against the bill.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for making the notable effort of asking his question in French. When we talk about the global economy, we are talking about having been through a pandemic, about war, about a difficult economy in terms of food, about many side effects, and about interest rates that have gone up. The current government was there to help people during the pandemic. I…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that this program was introduced by the Liberal government. Today, over two million people are already enrolled in this program; it is already making a difference in my riding. Over 9,500 oral care providers and specialists are already registered, with more to come this week and next. The program is working, and it is working well for the entire p…
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to answer this question. Whether the Bloc Québécois likes it or not, investments in Quebec's aerospace sector are good news. All the grocery CEOs and business leaders I have spoken with who are setting up shop in Quebec ridings, whether in Mirabel, Laurentides—Labelle or my colleague's riding, will benefit from significant economic spinoffs. Every business, every i…
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Châteauguay—Lacolle. I am pleased and grateful to have a chance to speak today, and I would like to take this opportunity to talk about our government's commitment to Quebec. I am a proud MP from Quebec who represents a predominantly francophone rural region. I am an ardent defender of the French language, and I would like to point ou…
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Madam Speaker, I would ask that the first division be amended. I made the wrong choice. I am requesting the unanimous consent of the House to vote nay.
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Mr. Speaker, I made the wrong choice during the first vote. I therefore seek the unanimous consent of the House to have my vote recorded as a “nay”. An agreement was reached with the whips.
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Madam Speaker, everyone knows how passionate I am about music and singing, which is why I was delighted to learn that Gabriel Fredette, a young firefighter from Lachute, in my riding, is one of the talented young artists selected to participate in the television show La Voix. He was even lucky enough to see all four coaches turn around and ask him to join their respective teams. In the end, he cho…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague opposite for his speech and for his commitment to defending French, science and technology. We sat together on the same committee and found that virtually nothing prevents researchers from publishing in their mother tongue or in French. I would like my colleague to explain why some researchers, whether French-speaking or bilingual, may choose to publish their work…
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Mr. Speaker, it is critical that we recognize the importance of supporting our valued dairy farmers. This is not just about the economy; it is also about preserving our cultural heritage and our nation's food security. Their hard work not only ensures the availability of a quality product, but also helps maintain our traditions and our identity. In this era of globalization and rapid change, it is…
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), as a result of the strategic assessment conducted by Canada’s chief information officer, CIO, in June 2022, Employment and Social Development Canada, ESDC, reviewed the remaining approved scope of the benefits delivery modernization program, BDM, and proposed moving several planned BDM deliverables to organizations outside of BDM, such as digital identity serv…
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), in 2017, the benefits delivery modernization program was in the initial planning or program definition phase. As is typical and expected for programs of this size and magnitude, at the program definition stage there is uncertainty around the program’s overall scope, full requirements, including the technology solutions, and the procurement necessary to support…
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Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General’s report on Benefits Delivery Modernization, or BDM, states that “Employment and Social Development Canada, since 2017, encountered numerous obstacles and delays in its implementation of the programme and had to make difficult choices about the sequence of key steps.” BDM is a complex, large scale, multi-year undertaking, and the programme plan continues to be refi…
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Madam Speaker, on this side, we want a recorded division.
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Mr. Speaker, today I want to highlight our firm commitment to Canada's middle class. The government is investing in policies to support families, including by offering affordable child care and benefits for children. We understand that the well-being of the middle class is the pillar of our prosperous economy. At the same time, we are enhancing pensions plans to ensure that seniors have financial …
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Madam Speaker, Wednesday was a very special day. I had the opportunity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Centre action générations des aînés de la Vallée‑de‑la‑Lièvre. I would like to thank and commend the volunteers for their outstanding dedication and commitment. They have made a huge difference in making the centre a wonderful place where seniors in our community can turn for support and…
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Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday evening at the Bell Centre, we paid a moving tribute to Karl Tremblay, the soul of the Cowboys Fringants, who left us too young, too soon. In that iconic place, we celebrated his music's indelible impact on our lives. The meaningful melodies and poignant lyrics resonated in our hearts, a reminder of Karl's exceptional musical legacy. In front of a vibrant crowd, we shared m…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak to a very timely issue: affordability. Investments in the middle class and in housing are core features of our policies. Affordability is essential in all aspects of life. Financial accessibility, whether in terms of housing, education or health care, creates equitable opportunities. A society where goods and services are affordable promotes inclusivity and reduc…
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Madam Speaker, in politics, it is never too late to take positive action. We have adopted several good measures, including the family benefit for children and families. We have also helped Canadians with housing through other programs. What we are putting in place today is aimed precisely at responding to the housing crisis. We know that when there is a housing crisis, investing in affordable hous…
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Madam Speaker, earlier on, we were accused of wanting to manage affordability and housing. We are not to blame for the pandemic or climate change. We know that the Conservatives do not believe in climate change, which has caused tornadoes and flooding across the country, perhaps even in the member's own riding. I know that there have been some in my riding. Today, the cost of inflation is due to t…
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Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I would like to inform you that I will be sharing my time with the member for Ottawa—Vanier. Today I had the honour of participating in the discussion on Motion No. 30 and listening to remarks from our Conservative friends, which sort of made my hair stand on end. Our goal is to put an end to Conservative obstruction of this bill. That is what we are working on. …
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his speech. He has identified himself as an MP who is not on the far right like his leader. He talked a lot about inflation. In Canada, the drop in inflation over the record high of 8.1% in June 2022 must be good news for him. However, more needs to be done, without filibustering committees, to get bills passed. Having more affordable hous…
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Madam Speaker, I will answer his first question. I am in Quebec, in Canada, in my riding, and I am proud to be here. As for homelessness, my colleague has been shouting at us since the beginning of this session about respecting our jurisdictions and not meddling in Quebec's jurisdictions. We take the issue of homelessness to heart. Even though we are the federal government, we care about people in…
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Mr. Speaker, the people of my riding, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, are deeply committed to their children's future and to environmental responsibility. The fact remains that 450,000 households in Quebec are still heating with oil, an expensive method that is harmful to the environment. The cost of acquiring and installing heat pumps, which are cleaner and more cost-effective, is a barrier for many…
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Madam Speaker, once again, our thoughts are with the workers and their families, particularly as the holiday season approaches. This situation could have been avoided and all of those workers would still have jobs if the Conservatives had not spent the past few years opposing Bill C-11. Yes, Bill C‑11 is enough. Yes, we are here with a bill that is in place to help save media jobs. We managed to g…
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