Parliamentary Speeches
722 speeches by Yves-François Blanchet — Page 15 of 15
Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, those were some nice empty words. The real impact, which is still happening today, is that the government is hurting French; it is hurting educational institutions in Quebec; it is hurting francophone Africa and it is hurting those students. Eighty percent of them are being rejected. That is discrimination. Do I understand correctly that the Prime Minister is describing the behaviour …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, many educational institutions in Quebec want to welcome francophone students from Africa. Thousands of French-speaking African students want to attend schools in Quebec in full compliance with the rules. Unfortunately, Canadian immigration services reject them over 80% of the time. This rate is out of line with the rejection rate for students of any other origin, and the pretext given…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, I would like the members to tell me if I am bothering them. It is a little frustrating. Conversations should be taken outside the chamber.
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, I would be pleased to make a few comments. That will allow me to elaborate on what I was saying earlier. In times of adversity, it is important to put yourself in someone else's shoes. In principle, that is what I have tried to do, but it is hard to put myself in the shoes of a Liberal Prime Minister of Canada. In a context where there was enormous financial leeway, why such a lack …
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, there are several parts to that question. First, it is a good idea to remove trade barriers. These restrictions do little good. The impact of doing that, however, meaning the possibility of generating the revenue needed for health transfers, seems to me to be a flight of fancy, as the other guy's father said. However, programs obviously require money to fund them. The money has to c…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to speak in the House again now, at the beginning of a Parliament that I must remind my colleagues should not exist. We should be continuing with the previous Parliament. Clearly, that was the view of both Quebeckers and Canadians. All of us, all governments, all countries, all hospitals and all seniors' residences, are desperately trying to really, truly emerge, on…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, I appreciate that intervention. Some people were tempted to say that it must be Quebec's fault, or the fault of any of the provinces that went through similar tragedies, and that was really hurtful. Health care falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of Quebec and the provinces. If it had been properly funded, from the time and at the level it was supposed to be funded, we would have…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, people should not be paid such compliments. I am both flattered and confused. I am the leader of the separatist party and member for Beloeil—Chambly, and that is an extraordinary honour. If the highest environmental standards did not protect us against the most polluting energy in the world, my God, what would things be like? We have the common sense to not tell western oil workers …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, obviously, the Prime Minister is not as good with softwood lumber as he is with potatoes. I realize that it is tough to trade with a giant, but the giant still wants our lumber, our electricity, and our lithium. Canada's international weakness at the moment is utterly deplorable. It would obviously be better for Quebec to speak for itself with its own voice internationally, but in the…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, on November 18, the Prime Minister was at the three amigos summit. We would expect a relationship between “amigos” to be frank and sincere, not complacent and weak. On November 24, the United States doubled its punitive duties on Canadian softwood lumber. I have a simple question for the Prime Minister: What did they talk about?
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, I have two things to say about that. First, getting rid of something dangerous calls for economic action. I was very involved in the closure of the Gentilly plant. The Government of Quebec had to invest a lot of money at the time, and it went very well. I think that is comparable, I think it is doable, and I think we need to consider that. More generally speaking, I would say that Q…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to science, the new minister’s previous readings were obviously more instructive than his new ones. However, the Prime Minister is caught between western Canada, which is heavily dependent on oil, and Quebec, which is much greener. Simple math tells us that cutting greenhouse gas emissions per barrel is actually a licence to increase production, so in the long run, nothi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, but I have concerns about the word “partnership”, which sounds a lot like “conditions”, to me. While I am at it, I also have serious concerns about the word “plan”, based on what we saw during the election campaign. However, can the Prime Minister tell us, in all seriousness, whether he thinks that the horrific tragedies during the pandemic were the fault and responsibilit…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is the beginning of a new Parliament, which will certainly give us the opportunity to work together. Sometimes, for the good of the people, working together might mean shaking things up a little. We will do that, if necessary. Health is the top priority for Canadians and Quebeckers. For Quebec and the provinces, that means health care funding and increasing health transfers. The Bl…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we have now established that the Prime Minister has finally discovered the notion of provincial and Quebec jurisdictions. We have also established that he has the ability to hand out money for provincial and Quebec jurisdictions, which is quite interesting. Could the Prime Minister make his epiphany complete by doing exactly the same thing with health transfers?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I applaud the Prime Minister's “epiphany”. He recognizes the existence of provincial and Quebec jurisdictions. Hallelujah. If natural resources fall under Alberta's jurisdiction in the case of oil, then there is no need to give it money to extract the oil, either directly or indirectly, or to pretend it is to lower greenhouse gas emissions when it would actually increase production. I…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change attended COP26 with some very good intentions, and I commend them for that. COP26 was being hailed as the last chance saloon, but we are still facing challenges related to oil and gas. While the government claims to have ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, the oil industry is bragging that it hopes …
Read full speech →First Session—44th Parliament
Mr. Speaker, I want to offer my sincerest congratulations on behalf of all members of the Bloc Québécois. Being voted in once is a trial, but being voted in a second time speaks to the members' satisfaction with what you accomplished during your previous term. I congratulate you on this and commend you for your reference to Paul Piché, someone whose beliefs would fit right in in our caucus. We hav…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has been the dominant theme of three successive sessions, which will come to an end this afternoon. This will be Quebec's second national holiday under the threat—which is finally subsiding—of a virus of diverse and formidable forms and effects, but a celebration is definitely in order. Our nation comes together in the face of adversity. As we can begin to feel hopeful an…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, on this last day of the session, I would like to wish all my colleagues in the House, and you in particular, a wonderful summer. Summer is an opportunity to meet with constituents and listen to their concerns. Summer is also a time to rest, step back and reflect. I am therefore asking the Prime Minister to take the next few days, weeks and months to reflect on this. Does he think that…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Thanks to him, concerns have increased, Mr. Speaker, but the cheques have not. Here is something else for the Prime Minister to think about. As members can see, we are trying to work constructively. We are trying to help the Prime Minister. After a terrible pandemic that had a direct impact on thousands of Quebeckers and Canadians, as well as on the health care system and health care professionals…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the session is coming to a close and, if we are to believe the rumours, Parliament may be about to end. No matter what happens, I would like to remind everyone, all parties and all nations, that we work for the common good. It may be that some have doubts about the good faith of the players, as if they were setting the stage for something to come. Whatever the case and with a positive…
Read full speech →