Parliamentary Speeches
873 speeches by Yves-François Blanchet — Page 1 of 18
Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we predicted his appointment would be a disaster, and it is. The Prime Minister is once again abandoning Quebec culture because of Washington. The Union des artistes and the entire cultural community spoke out against it in the media on Saturday. Their letter is entitled “Chronicle of a disappearance foretold”, because our culture is sure to disappear unless the Prime Minister grows a…
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Mr. Speaker, this time it is clear. The Prime Minister is abandoning the cultural sector in the face of American digital giants. Not only is he capitulating on the levy increase demanded from streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime, and Disney, but we also found out that he will require the CRTC to cancel every last bit of funding for Quebec and Canadian content. Even the meagre 5% that Ottawa was…
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Mr. Speaker, in the 1950s, today's Quebeckers were French Canadians who worked for the English. With the Quiet Revolution, which was also an economic revolution, the Quebec nation was created, along with a class of full-fledged Quebec entrepreneurs. In their garages, in their basements or on their boats, these small business owners started from nothing, often with the support of Caisses Desjardins…
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Mr. Speaker, at least he prepares his answers. That is $3.4 billion that will be lost in the creative sector in Quebec and Canada. The minister is going to invest $600 million that he is taking directly out of taxpayers' pockets. He is talking about an announcement he made almost a year ago, before all the disastrous decisions made by the Prime Minister, who is kowtowing to the United States. He i…
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Mr. Speaker, he is forgoing $3.4 billion a year that would come from the United States, and taking $600 million out of taxpayers' pockets. By asking the CRTC to cancel the 15% levy, the Prime Minister is doing something even worse than merely capitulating. He is validating the Americans' claim that Quebec culture and the French language are barriers to trade. By replacing the levy with public fund…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister previously abandoned the digital services tax without any concessions from Washington; there was nothing at all. As a result, he deprived the cultural sector of $1.4 billion. Today, he is asking the CRTC to backtrack on the 15% levy imposed on large online streaming platforms. That would mean once again giving up on $2 billion that would essentially come from the Un…
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Mr. Speaker, here is yet another betrayal of Quebec culture: On day two of the CUSMA negotiations, the government is already asking the CRTC to drop the 15% levy required of major online streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video. After scrapping the digital services tax, Ottawa is once again sacrificing funding for cultural content by allowing web giants to avoid paying their fa…
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Mr. Speaker, in all of this, there is no provision for what virtually everyone in the field is asking for: a wage subsidy program that would help maintain employment relationships, preserve expertise within companies, and prevent foreign workers with specialized skills from being sent home. There is nothing on this for these companies. In the meantime, our forestry industry is in trouble and our s…
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Mr. Speaker, we were promised that the issue of tariffs and trade would be fixed in June 2025. Clearly, that did not work out. It is not the Prime Minister's fault. It is Donald Trump's fault. One year of dithering later, here we are again, and now the Prime Minister wants a 16-year agreement. I agree, that is fine with me, but it will certainly take a little longer than two weeks. In the meantime…
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Mr. Speaker, when we think of Warwick, we think of cheese. For world-renowned cheeses and culinary and regional specialties that set trends everywhere, look no further than the best cheese maker in Quebec, who can be found in Sainte-Élizabeth‑de‑Warwick. Jean Morin, the charming, generous and indispensable master and founder of Fromagerie du Presbytère, was named Artisan of the Year at the Gala de…
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Mr. Speaker, drawing on his deep understanding of Quebec, the Prime Minister, who said a few months ago that the Battle of the Plains of Abraham was just one big hug fest, very clearly told us yesterday that he thinks a majority of 50% plus one on sovereignty issues is unclear. In that case, I think we ought to start by overturning the 1995 referendum and starting all over. Evidently, this time he…
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I apologize, Mr. Speaker. I should have said “the Prime Minister”. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party of Canada's environment caucus says that its job is not to talk about or protect the environment, but to support the Prime Minister. Now that the member for Laurier—Sainte‑Marie has left, is there anyone with an environmental conscience left in this government?
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Mr. Speaker, I would remind the leader that there has been no drilling on Anticosti Island. Furthermore, the member for Laurier—Sainte‑Marie attempted to change the government and Canada from within. He failed, though I commend his courage in trying. As he said, he had little to no impact under Mr. Carney's government. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party's environment caucus—
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Mr. Speaker, there is indeed such a thing as climate change. We can combat the effects of climate change, but not by scrapping the carbon tax, not by funding new oil pipelines, not by suspending environmental assessments and abandoning biodiversity protection measures, not by scrapping greenhouse gas emission caps, and not by abandoning emission capping targets. Will the government start listening…
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Mr. Speaker, the Quebec National Assembly was unanimous in not sharing that view. Some people support sovereignty. Others are on the fence. Some people say they want it later, and some do not want it at all. However, Quebeckers all agree that they have the right to make their own decisions, 30 years on from the shenanigans surrounding the previous referendum. Are the Prime Minister and the governm…
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Mr. Speaker, I never thought I would say this, but those of us with an environmental conscience end up missing Justin Trudeau every so often. I sometimes find myself thinking that the Leader of the Opposition misses him too, but for different reasons, and I am sure the member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie misses those days. He has finally had enough of the government and the Prime Minister backtracking…
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Mr. Speaker, my esteemed colleague and friend will be disappointed: I have no explanation. However, I have one concern. My concern is that, from a financial perspective, in the very broad international sense of the term, the Prime Minister's approach is to abandon the idea of a short-term agreement with the United States because he does not believe it is possible. I am afraid he thinks that, in an…
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Mr. Speaker, I am saying this quite off the cuff while also sidestepping the very appealing image of maple syrup. I think that if the forestry sector had made this suggestion, it would be a good idea. I think that is the direction they would have steered us in. However, strategic reserves always carry one risk, which is that someone needs to purchase the product. Either the product is tied up with…
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Mr. Speaker, I think I understand the question. I believe it would be unwise to suggest that the Prime Minister of Canada is to blame for the behaviour, attitude and vagaries of the President of the United States, to say nothing of his absence of mind. We are, all of us, victims of that. Nevertheless, the first thing the government needs to do is recognize the scale of the challenge, assess the ex…
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Mr. Speaker, the government has announced business support measures that will certainly have an uplifting effect over the long term, but will not save jobs, maintain the employment relationship or retain expertise within companies, especially companies at greatest risk. I want to understand why the Prime Minister did not adopt the proposal initially created by his party a few years ago: the wage s…
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Mr. Speaker, a one-man team is bound to lose in the end. That is probably the greatest weakness of the current President of the United States. As I mentioned in my remarks, everyone who shares our interests and vision, across party lines, since we have common interests here in the House, must speak and work together. I met with representatives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Cha…
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Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Eighteen months ago, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. He took office in January 2025, around the same time that the current Prime Minister was portraying himself as something of a saviour for Canadians and the Canadian economy. About 13 months ago, he became that saviour by saying, “No crisis? No [his own name]”. I am not allowed to name him here.…
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Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that, unfortunately, the Prime Minister did not answer the question. I will rephrase my question. Given that the measures he is talking about will have no impact in the short term, but only in the medium, long or very long term, and that businesses are in immediate danger during the negotiation period with the United States, am I to understand that the Prime Min…
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Mr. Speaker, two things that the Prime Minister certainly knows—and he will explain it himself much better than someone who is not an economist, like me—is that, first, Jean Simard hardly represents SMEs, and second, businesses cannot take on more debt to save jobs. That is a last resort. Can the Prime Minister reconsider—again on a non-partisan basis, since we are reaching out—and do what the uni…
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Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat taken aback by the cult that apparently believes it has been touched by the hand of God. Occasionally, though not often, he sits among them. Everything that has happened over the past year has been extraordinary. The only problem is that it has yielded no results, and businesses are going to tell them that today.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that we support the idea of diversifying export markets for Canadian and Quebec businesses. This was already happening under the father of the previous prime minister, who wanted to diversify Canada's markets. Now, let us not deceive ourselves. If we sign a trade agreement with a country that accounts for less than half of 1% of our exports and we say we are going …
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Mr. Speaker, that sounds like good news, but to err on the side of caution, I would remind the House that the way tariffs are calculated changed on April 6. Two weeks ago, I asked the Prime Minister if he would take action. What I got was pretty much radio silence. I asked him again the following week. He said that there would be measures to help businesses in the economic statement. However, ther…
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Mr. Speaker, in the past few days, the Prime Minister again claimed that 85% of Canadian exports to the United States are protected by CUSMA and that the tariffs applied to Canada and Quebec are the lowest the United States is imposing. It seems that, as of April 6, these are now the highest tariffs the U.S. is imposing on any country in the world, but yesterday's economic statement contained no m…
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Mr. Speaker, we dealt with Justin Trudeau for 10 years. As a result, I sincerely hope that the Prime Minister will accept the offer I made at a press conference earlier today and set partisanship and performative politics aside to ensure that, given the serious distress they are in, the businesses that account for roughly half of Quebec's exports to the United States will receive significant, adeq…
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Mr. Speaker, for the past year, the Bloc Québécois has been demanding that trade talks with the United States be the top priority. However, that did not seem to be the government's strategy. Today, the government is relaunching the Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations. The government is even enhancing it, perhaps in the interests of Quebec. The committee was a tool created under Ju…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that Ms. Picard is a member of the committee. I would point out that, three weeks ago, the U.S. president announced harsher tariffs, including some that will affect manufacturing companies that use steel and aluminum. Those are real businesses and real jobs. Now that negotiation is back on the government's agenda, will it bring in transitional measures for businesses t…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister finally seems to understand the impact that U.S. tariffs are having on businesses, which is good. Just because 85% of businesses are still covered by CUSMA does not mean that everything is fine and dandy. That leaves 15% of businesses and 15% of workers affected, which is huge. I look forward to hearing what those measures are. I would like to know whether they will…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was elected because of his economic expertise and because he was going to protect Canada from tariffs. However, the White House has just changed the way it is calculating its already illegal tariffs on steel and aluminum. From now on, derivative articles of steel and aluminum will be subject to a 25% tariff on their full customs value, rather than to the already ill…
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Mr. Speaker, it is okay for people to admit that there are things they do not know. Since early 2025, we have heard a lot of talk but seen very little action. Tariffs are making every one of the White House's moves worse. The Prime Minister cannot just wave his resumé around, give speeches and recruit floor crossers. What does the Prime Minister have to say to Quebec and Canadian businesses that a…
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Mr. Speaker, could the Prime Minister be any less specific? Literally hundreds and hundreds of Quebec businesses that depend on the American market will have to cut shifts, cut production and, in some cases, perhaps even shut down. This morning, Le Journal de Montréal reported that BRP has lost a third of its stock market value. I want to know what the Prime Minister is going to do right now to he…
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Mr. Speaker, the first word he said was “yes”. That is where the clarity ends. I assume that the Prime Minister believes, as I do and as all members do, that religion and the state are two separate things, one being personal and the other being public and collective, and that religion should not interfere in state decisions. That being the case, can the Prime Minister explain why his government sp…
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Mr. Speaker, it is one or the other, and the Prime Minister is going to have to make up his mind. Either he acknowledges that religion plays a role and directly influences how his government and the Liberal Party manage government affairs, or he stops challenging Bill 21, which sets out rules for the secular nature of Quebec's state institutions. The Prime Minister cannot say and defend one thing …
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Mr. Speaker, first, I want to make one thing very clear: The Bloc Québécois fully respects freedom of conscience, freedom of belief and freedom of religion. That is true for all people, including the Prime Minister. Yesterday, the Prime Minister quoted the Bible in a speech. That is his prerogative, but I would like some clarification on what has become a critical issue in light of recent events. …
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Mr. Speaker, we are listening carefully to the arguments being presented to the Supreme Court. Some of them are excellent while others range between stupid and downright insulting. There is still time. Will the government acknowledge that it should instruct its lawyers to withdraw their submission and ask them not to present arguments against Quebec?
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Mr. Speaker, in 2019, the Quebec National Assembly passed a state secularism law. Like it or not, it is legitimate. Is the government trying to tell Quebeckers that the federal Parliament is superior and has authority over the Quebec National Assembly? Does Liberal Canada think it is in charge of Quebec?
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Mr. Speaker, I would be lying if I said that I was surprised that he does not understand. Pierre Elliott Trudeau's Canada forced a constitution on Quebec. Quebec did not sign it and has never accepted it. Today, we are being told that Ottawa is in charge according to this Constitution and its charter designed against Quebec. By taking action against Quebec in the Supreme Court, is Liberal Canada t…
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Mr. Speaker, bring out the good china; we have visitors in Parliament. Judging by the Prime Minister's inclination to travel the world like Marco Polo, he is his own foreign affairs minister. Unfortunately, this foreign affairs minister is not known for his clarity, and by not accepting his own invitation yesterday, he missed a tremendous opportunity to explain his policies in Parliament. When wil…
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Mr. Speaker, I should have been more specific in my question and asked whether he spoke with all of our allies in Europe together. Also, it will take a lot more continental drift for the United States to end up in Europe. Does the Prime Minister intend to propose any short-term measures to help people who are suffering and who will continue to suffer as a direct result of this war? I am talking ab…
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Mr. Speaker, if I could call that clear, that would be news. In military terms, Canada is clearly the smallest of the major players. Among the mid-level players, it is clearly the most isolated and no one seems to have understood its position so far. Has the Prime Minister spoken with our allies in Europe? What have they agreed on in terms of a common position?
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Mr. Speaker, we have no right to speak for people who are not here and who will not speak publicly. Diplomacy is, by its very nature, discreet. We should ask ourselves what diplomats are currently saying behind closed doors. It is a troubling inconsistency when a prime minister says that military interventions must be sanctioned by the UN under international law, and then, at the first opportunity…
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Mr. Speaker, rhetoric aside, I will not rise in this Parliament to declare that the President of the United States is a crazy person. I will exercise restraint. However, I get the impression that insanity in the use of nuclear weapons has much in common with insanity in the use of weapons in general. We see that all too often here, in the United States and everywhere else. Using violence and wishi…
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Mr. Speaker, I understand that we are talking about oil and gas pipelines. However, there is now a war going on in Iran. The last time Canada wanted to build a pipeline, it took 14 years. I am hopeful that people are a bit more optimistic than that about when this war will end. After letting a good part of our capacity to develop the electric sector fall apart, the government is now realizing that…
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Mr. Speaker, I have serious concerns, and they are not exactly easy to express. I will explain why. There is a tendency to give a bit of a free pass, so to speak. It is as though, whenever there is a crisis, it is important to not question what the Prime Minister says, does, thinks, writes or changes. That is our job as parliamentarians, however. Over the past few months, in a number of speeches a…
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Mr. Speaker, allow me to quote a rather old but very relevant saying: The absent are always in the wrong. This saying takes on a very special meaning today. Let us hope that, together, we can see reason. Perhaps some people would have preferred to see certain others here. Everyone will come to their own judgment. However, a certain someone's presence would certainly have helped to clarify things a…
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Mr. Speaker, that question brings up the whole issue of precedent, that is, questioning the multilateral institutions that ensure that people talk to each other before they take action. Many of these institutions were created in the aftermath of the Second World War to safeguard against the proliferation of armed conflict. It is very risky to play games, calling for an end to such institutions. I …
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