Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, 15 years ago, a man named Jack Layton won Quebec's heart and led the NDP into official opposition for the first time. I had the privilege of being part of that wave. The people of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie continued to put their trust in me in four subsequent elections. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Representing them has been an honour, a privilege and a true pleasure, not only in the toughest of struggles, but also in the collective and personal victories we secured. Of course, I want to thank my team. I cannot name everyone, but these supporters and dedicated individuals know who they are. Still, I would like to acknowledge my current team. I wish to thank Julien, François, Jean‑Christophe, Iseult and Carolina, who has been by my side from the very beginning of this adventure. I also thank my partner, Lisa, who has been incredibly patient and supportive. In this troubled and troubling world, we need progressive and humanist voices in this Parliament, in all parliaments and in all places where decisions are made. I hope that there will be many such voices in the future. Let us move forward. It is not too late to build a better world.

Mr. Speaker, frankly, no one can believe that answer. For the first time in history, a human being is a trillionaire. Elon Musk is worth more than $1,000 billion. Even if he were to spend $1 million a day, it would take him 2,700 years to spend such an obscene amount of money. There are people here too with colossal fortunes worth billions of dollars. The Liberals are lavishing them with gifts. At a time when people are living on the street and our public services are crumbling, what are the Liberals doing? They are not doing anything. When will they have the courage to make the super-wealthy pay their fair share?

Mr. Speaker, the genocide in Gaza has claimed 70,000 lives, including 20,000 children. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with infrastructure in ruins. In the meantime, life for Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank is appalling. Illegal settlements are multiplying. Palestinian villages, homes and farms are being destroyed on a regular basis. According to the UN, there are an average of six attacks per day against Palestinians in the West Bank. I repeat: six per day. When are the Liberals going to take action and suspend our trade relations with the Netanyahu regime?

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to table a petition signed by hundreds of citizens. In light of the 70,000 Palestinians killed by bombings in Gaza, including 350 since the ceasefire, the failure to comply with several UN resolutions and the illegal boarding of several ships bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza, the petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to denounce before the UN General Assembly these illegal acts committed by the current government of Israel and the failure to comply with UN resolutions; to call for a full ceasefire and the restoration of humanitarian aid to enable the peaceful reconstruction of Gaza; and to announce, in the same address to the UN, its intention to implement a full economic embargo, inviting other countries to join the embargo, citing the past initiative that brought an end to apartheid, in which Canada played a leading role at the time.

Mr. Speaker, we already knew that the cost of acquiring the F-35s had skyrocketed, going from $19 billion to $28 billion. However, we learned that, in addition to the 72 U.S. jets, the Liberals are thinking of buying another 72 fighter jets, the Gripen, for a potential fleet of 144 fighter jets. The questions are simple. First, is that true? Second, how much will it cost? Lastly, could this money be better invested to meet the needs of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, culture has always been the common foundation of a people, the thing that shapes its core identity. Culture is the accumulation of stories, songs, music, books, films and television shows—shared works that bring us together. However, the arrival of the web giants has shattered all of that. Worse still, with the decline of traditional television, appointment viewing has disappeared. The Liberals boasted about a deal with Netflix, but it is now basically impossible to find Quebec productions on digital platforms. When will the Liberals take the future of our culture seriously?

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting an important petition signed by thousands and thousands of people in response to U.S. aggressions and threats in the Caribbean region. These people are calling on the Government of Canada to condemn U.S. aggressions as violations of international law; refuse to participate in military or economic aggressions; reaffirm and actively support the Caribbean as a zone of peace, free from external military intervention; actively reject any and all interventions and military aggressions against Cuba, Colombia and Mexico; firmly oppose U.S. economic and other coercive measures against Cuba and vigorously advocate for their removal; deepen economic ties, trade and assistance to Cuba; and unequivocally uphold and promote the right of self-determination of the peoples and countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mr. Speaker, the earth is 13,000 km in diameter and that will not change. We have limited resources. That is not up for debate. It is just physics. Unfortunately, capitalism does not get that. We have already blown past seven of the nine planetary boundaries. Here, the Liberals are missing their climate targets and they want a new pipeline, which is nuts. On top of that, they promised to take action on the industrial carbon tax by April 1. It has been crickets since then. The Prime Minister says that climate action is not only a moral duty, but also an economic imperative. Does he listen to himself when he speaks?

Mr. Speaker, in Canada, the wealthiest 20% of the population owns 66% of the wealth. At the other end of the spectrum, the poorest 40%, almost half of the population, owns only 3%. After 11 years of the Liberal regime, inequality is rising. Our society is unfair, and people are suffering. According to a survey, the expense that people are most worried about is food. For a Prime Minister who said that he should be judged by the price of groceries, it is a failure. Instead of giving handouts to web giants and their billionaire friends, when will the Liberals take care of struggling workers?

Mr. Speaker, despite the government's promises, people are struggling to make ends meet, especially in Montreal. According to the Institut de recherche et d'informations socioéconomiques, Montreal is the most expensive city in Quebec. A family of two adults and two children in Montreal would need to be bringing in $88,800 after taxes to have a livable income. A livable income is enough to meet basic needs with a little bit extra for a rainy day. That is all, but thousands of people do not have that. Rather than helping their billionaire friends, when will the Liberals take action so that everyone can live with dignity?

Mr. Speaker, I am immensely proud to rise in tribute to an outstanding milestone reached in Rosemont—La Petite‑Patrie. This year, we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of L'Écho des femmes. For four decades, this organization has been much more than a mere gathering spot. It is a pillar of solidarity, a shield against isolation and a driving force for social change. Whether through mutual support, public education or advocacy, L'Écho des femmes transforms lives. I would be remiss not to commend one very special woman, Silvia Martinez, for her 35 years of service. Silvia is among those considered the lifeblood of the organization. She is a voice for women who have too little voice left. Her dedication to justice and her cheerful ways have left their mark on generations. In a world of persisting inequality and violence, we need L'Écho des femmes and women like Silvia Martinez. On behalf of the people of Rosemont—La Petite‑Patrie, I want to thank them and wish them many more years of combat and victory.

Mr. Speaker, the tragic accident at LaGuardia airport that cost the lives of two pilots reminds us that emergencies can break out on airport runways. What is less well known is that our airports' firefighting capabilities in the event of a fire on board an airplane do not meet the international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO. For example, airport firefighters do not have a duty to rescue passengers and, given that there is usually one firefighter per truck, they do not have the ability to do so either. Will the Liberals respect Motion No. 96, which was adopted by the House, as well as the ICAO's international standards, to ensure the safety of passengers in the event of an accident?

Mr. Speaker, every year, Canada has to inform the UN of its performance on greenhouse gases, or GHGs. Usually there is at least one press release, but with this year's shameful performance, we have heard nothing. Yes, it is shameful because the Liberals reduced GHGs by a paltry 10% when the 2030 target is 45%. That is three and a half years down the road. It is impossible. The Liberals also want to ramp up natural gas pipeline projects like Marinvest. This makes no sense at all. Are the Liberals finally about to prove that they really do not give a shit?

Mr. Speaker, some people are getting calls that go a little bit like this: “Hi Grandma, it's your grandson. I really need help. I just need your PIN.” Obviously, we know what happens next. With AI, bank fraud horror stories are on the rise. The current position of the banks is that they cannot do anything when people voluntarily divulge their information to fraudsters. It is the victims' own fault for getting tricked. The banks should be required to protect and reimburse us. What does the Prime Minister, a former banker, think about holding banks accountable for these scams? Will he side with ordinary Canadians or with his banking friends?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table two petitions in the House. The first is from citizens who are concerned about the misuse of generative AI, which has led to a rise in disinformation due to deepfakes, or falsely generated videos or images of a person's likeness. AI tools have developed to a point where it is difficult for the most people to determine the authenticity of a video, audio or image source, and AI tools can be used maliciously. These citizens call upon the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation to acknowledge the risks posed by deepfakes, strengthen the Canadian Copyright Act to include an individual's right to their own body and voice, and ensure enforcement mechanisms are in place at a federal level to support individuals' rights to their likeness.

Mr. Speaker, the second petition highlights that, following the genocide in Gaza, Canada has not yet sanctioned any entities for their activities in Gaza and that, according to the United Nations, Israel's latest military campaign has damaged or destroyed 92% of housing units in the Gaza Strip. These citizens call upon the government to investigate and sanction individuals and entities involved in serious violations of international law across the occupied Palestinian territory, including the systematic destruction of civilian property, and to impose sanctions upon key individuals and entities involved in the demolition of property and civilian objects in Gaza.

Mr. Speaker, while Israel and the United States are attacking Iran on the false premise of the nuclear program, the entire region is in going up in flames. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is taking advantage of the situation to once again drop bombs on Lebanon. Hundreds of civilians have been killed, thousands injured and nearly 80,000 displaced after fleeing in terror. France is clearly supporting Lebanon, its people and its sovereignty. What is the Liberal response here? Nothing. It is silence. It is embarrassing. When will this government find the courage to say “enough is enough” and stand up for the people of Lebanon?

Mr. Speaker, there is a word for that: hypocrisy. According to the Liberal slogan, we need to spend less in order to invest more. That sounds nice, but it is still nothing but empty words. In reality, the cuts are very real and they hurt. In many cases, they demonstrate a total lack of vision for the future. The Liberals have decided to close the agricultural research and development centre in Quebec City. At a time when we need to ensure our food security, increase our productivity and reduce our environmental impact, this decision is tantamount to shooting ourselves in the foot. Why lose this expertise and why abandon research that is crucial to our future?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to table two petitions. The first is from citizens who are concerned about potential abuses of power by cabinet. Proposed section 12 in part 2, division 5 of Bill C-15 permits ministers to exempt entities, meaning companies, from the application of any act of Parliament apart from the Criminal Code. These citizens are of the opinion that such unlimited, unrestricted and undefined power could undermine core protections established by laws related to the environment, public procurement and competition. They are therefore calling on the government to reconsider proposed section 12 in Bill C-15 to prevent such abuse of power by ministers.

Mr. Speaker, the second petition comes from a group of citizens who are concerned about animal welfare. Canada has no national registry of individuals who have been convicted of animal cruelty, neglect or killing under the Criminal Code of Canada. That means there is a possibility that shelters, rescues or breeders could place animals with criminals who are a danger to the animal's welfare. The petitioners are calling for the creation of a national registry of people who have been convicted of abusing, neglecting or killing an animal. They are also asking that the names remain on the registry for 10 years and that the provinces be able to share this information so that these individuals cannot move to another province and continue to compromise animal welfare. This petition has been signed by more than 7,400 people.

Mr. Speaker, the Build Canada Homes program is a gimmick that is not going to work. The Prime Minister promised to build 500,000 homes, but according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Build Canada Homes will build only 5,000 per year. At this rate, it will take a century to reach the target. This is an insult to our intelligence. On top of that, there is no definition of affordable housing, there is no target for social or co-operative housing and there are no rules on the percentage of income that can be spent on rent. When are Liberals going to start taking care of people instead of insulting their intelligence?

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House to speak on behalf of the NDP on this very sad day. February 24, 2022, is a day that will go down in infamy. Without any justification or valid reason, dictator Vladimir Putin brutally attacked Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. For four years now, Ukrainians have been suffering and living in fear and terror with a colossal number of military and civilian victims. For the first time since the collapse of the former Yugoslavia, Europe has seen war again with all its brutality, massacres, suffering and crimes. We are talking not only about war crimes, but also about crimes against humanity. Rape is being used as a weapon of war and there have been mass kidnappings of Ukrainian children to brainwash them and cause them to lose their own identity. Every day, every week, there is death. There are drones and bombings. People live in constant fear. There are 3.4 million internally displaced persons within Ukraine, which is paying the heavy price of a dictator who is seeking to expand his influence and who is refusing to respect the peoples around him. I think we should salute the courage of the Ukrainian people, who have stood firm despite everything for four years now; four years of massacres and rape, four years of living in the cold among the ruins of infrastructure, hospitals and schools. As a democracy, I think we have a duty to show our full support for Ukraine. Ukraine's honorary consul in Montreal has often said something that has kept coming back to me in recent months, if not years. He said that if Russia stops fighting, it will end the war, but if Ukrainians stop defending themselves, it will end Ukraine. The outcome is totally different. That is why, as others have said before, for the Ukrainian people, this is an existential fight for their survival, for their existence, for their territory, for their territorial integrity and for their civilian population. Given that Ukrainian men and women are fighting and dying on the front lines today, I think we need to be keenly aware of something: This front line is not just the front line of the Ukrainian territory. It is the front line of our values, of Europe, of democracy, of the rule of law, of respect for human rights and of respect for the self-determination of peoples. That is why we this involves each and every one of us. Saving lives is paramount. Respecting the will of the Ukrainian people is the first priority. However, there is also the question of the kind of world we want to live in. Do we accept a world where brutality becomes the norm, where international law is flouted and where everything is based on power dynamics? Would we rather have a world built on dialogue, multilateralism, respect and decisions that are made on the basis of law and not brute force? This has been happening for four years in Ukraine, but we also have an American president south of the border who has a tendency to want to do the same thing. Do we want to live in a world where we respect people's right to self-determination, or do we want to live in a world of spheres of influence, where we believe that if it is our backyard, we have the right to do anything, including invade, massacre and kill? I think we need to have an important discussion about defending international law, but also about the kind of international relations we want to build and have on the planet. That is fundamental. When I talk about international law, I also mean respecting its institutions, such as the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for dictator Vladimir Putin. I think that, as Quebeckers and Canadians, we should always show support for the decisions of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. I hope that those responsible for the massacres, war crimes and crimes against humanity will be brought to justice. As parliamentarians, we must continue to support Ukraine. As citizens, let us continue to welcome Ukrainians with open arms. More than 200,000 people have found refuge here. It would be nice for those who wish to return safely to their homes and their country to be able to do so. Failing that, we are prepared to welcome them for as long as necessary. Let us continue to show our solidarity. Let us continue to be there to say that we stand with the Ukrainian people, so that they can one day be treated with respect. Slava Ukraini.

Mr. Speaker, it is official: The Prime Minister is suffering from amnesia; he is the Professor Calculus of the climate crisis. We all remember that, in his previous life, the Prime Minister was the UN special envoy on climate action and finance. He even headed the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, but he seems to have forgotten that. Not only is he backtracking on the emissions cap for the oil and gas sector, not only is he prepared to authorize a new pipeline, but now we learn that the Canada pension plan is injecting $7 billion into new fossil-fuel assets. That is the complete opposite of what he used to advocate, and it is what we call flip-flopping and betraying people's trust. How can we convince banks and investment firms to turn their backs on oil and gas in order to comply with the Paris Agreement when the Liberal government is doing the exact opposite? I know there are Liberal members who want a green tax system. Now is the time to stand up and denounce the deadly direction of this government, which is headed for disaster at full speed.

Mr. Speaker, the need for nutrition, education, health care and equal rights, particularly for women, has never been so acute around the world, but Donald Trump has decided to abolish USAID, the international aid agency. This senseless decision will cause suffering for millions of people. What are the Liberals doing? They are doing the same thing: making cuts. This is a cruel decision that will have a real impact and increase both instability and insecurity. Will the Liberals reconsider this irresponsible decision?

Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, at Maisonnette des parents, we celebrated the newly acquired citizenship of nearly 200 people in Rosemont—La Petite‑Patrie. It was a time for sharing and discussion. It was an opportunity to learn more about each person's background, their reasons for coming to Quebec, their language learning, their family situation, their job, their education and the administrative nonsense that they had to deal with. It is touching to see the tremendous efforts that these people are making to learn French, integrate and participate in their new community. We have been holding these get-togethers for years, but, lately, these people have been bringing up new questions. They want to know why political parties and commentators are badmouthing them, why some people are pointing the finger at immigrants and blaming them for the housing, school and health care crises. They are wondering why some people are being discriminated against because of their clothing and they are wondering whether they are truly welcome here. As parliamentarians, we have a responsibility to recognize the contributions that immigrants make to our society, to defend their rights and to build an inclusive society where everyone has their place.

Mr. Speaker, many families will soon be gathering together for Christmas dinner. What kind of conversations will there be around the dinner table? People will be talking about how they are disappointed in this Liberal government. Not only have the Liberals done nothing to bring down the cost of groceries or housing, but it is plain to see that they have given up the fight against climate change. Even the former environment minister is now saying that Canada's climate goals are unachievable. This government is headed straight for disaster and it is abandoning future generations. It is going to leave them a broken climate and a planet on fire. I have one simple question: Will the Liberals apologize to our children?

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister is in the United Arab Emirates, horrific massacres are being committed in Sudan. The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, supplied with weapons by the United Arab Emirates, have killed thousands of civilians, and Canadian weapons are reportedly being used in these atrocities. Canada exports millions of dollars worth of arms to the United Arab Emirates. Will the Prime Minister halt these arms shipments and suspend Canadian defence co-operation with that country until it stops supporting the RSF in Sudan? Or will Canada—

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister is in the United Arab Emirates, horrific massacres are being committed in Sudan. The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, supplied with weapons by the United Arab Emirates, have killed thousands of civilians, and Canadian weapons are reportedly being used in these atrocities. Canada exports millions of dollars worth of arms to the United Arab Emirates. Will the Prime Minister halt these arms shipments and suspend Canadian defence co-operation with that country until it stops supporting the RSF in Sudan? Or will Canada remain complicit in another horrific war?

Mr. Speaker, I listened to my Liberal colleague across the way. The student jobs with the Canada summer jobs program are interesting. However, when the government cuts 40,000 positions from the public service, even through attrition and voluntary departures, that means 40,000 fewer positions for young people who want to enter the labour market and have good union jobs as well. What does he think of that?

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague from Vancouver East on this important bill. Canada is also a signatory to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. With the American loophole, which allows Canadian weapons to flow through the United States and then to be sold to the Netanyahu regime, does my colleague not think that Canada and the Liberal government could find themselves in a situation where they could be accused of being complicit in genocide?

Mr. Speaker, the housing crisis is affecting people everywhere in Quebec. Rent has gone up 16% in three years. There has never been so much homelessness on our streets. People are being forced to stay in substandard housing because they cannot afford to move. The Liberals, however, are planning to spend six times more on the army than on affordable housing. Are the Liberals prepared to make a commitment and invest specific, substantial amounts in co-operative, social and community housing?