Parliamentary Speeches
640 speeches by Alexandre Boulerice — Page 1 of 13
Oral Questions
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 ha…
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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 non…
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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. E…
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Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers and Canadians are facing an employment crisis with unemployment rates at a 10-year high, especially among young people. Yet the government wants to cut 40,000 public service jobs. These are good union jobs that support families, and the Liberals want to eliminate them. Every one of these employees is providing services to Quebeckers and Canadians, and they need them. The Pr…
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Mr. Speaker, the news came as a shock wave this morning: President Trump calls off trade negotiations with Canada. It is a blatant failure of this Prime Minister. After being elected as a master negotiator, he leaves us high and dry. He did everything to pander to Trump: border security, military spending, opening the Keystone XL pipeline and dropping the tax on web giants. He was practically on h…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very honoured to rise in the House on behalf of the NDP to talk about this important piece of legislation, Bill C‑12. Regrettably, while I am the third NDP member to have an opportunity to rise in the House, it is because the Liberals do not rise to talk about their own piece of legislation because they do not want to talk about it. This is good for us because it gives me an oppo…
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Madam Speaker, criminal smugglers who exploit people trying to find a better life and a better future here must obviously be prosecuted. We need to have the tools to do that. However, what I am saying, and what the NDP is saying, is that we must do it in a way that will not affect the remedies and procedures that protect these people's rights. As it stands now, Bill C‑12 is fundamentally flawed. T…
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Madam Speaker, obviously, the CBSA experienced major staffing cuts under Stephen Harper's government. However, the Liberals have done nothing to remedy that situation over the past 10 years. Giving border officers back their powers and resources would help in the fight against auto theft and against the trafficking of fentanyl, drugs and illegal weapons. That is a good thing. That said, why did it…
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Madam Speaker, I believe that Canada has obligations when it comes to taking in refugees. If there is an increase in the number of refugees around the world, it is because there is an increase in crises around the world too, caused by conflict, civil war and the climate crisis. It is not up to us to determine how many asylum seekers show up at our border. All countries face the same requirement. T…
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Mr. Speaker, the multinational company Newrest had an in-flight catering contract with Air Canada at the Trudeau airport. Even though the company knew that it was about to lose the contract, it still brought in temporary foreign workers on three-year closed work permits. Closed work permits are terrible things that prevent people from changing employers. Now, 50 people are left with nothing. They …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, this is a sad day for the House. With the Liberals, we are seeing the “Trumpification” of international co-operation and international aid, which are becoming transactional. In other words, what the Liberal government is essentially telling us today is that if something does not benefit the government, it will not help. That is not what international aid is all about. The point is to …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by thousands of people who are concerned about the importation of macaques from Cambodia. In 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature raised the classification of long-tailed macaques from “vulnerable” to “endangered”, pointing to their exploitation by the experimentation industry as a factor in the species' plummeting numbers and heighten…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C‑249, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (combined weeks of benefits rule and certain benefits). Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to introduce this important bill. Employment insurance has been in need of a major reform for years. The Liberals promised to reform the system but then did nothing. This bill seeks to correct two completely una…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions that I would like to table in the House today. The first pertains to people who are concerned about the working and living conditions of airport workers, who earn very low wages in very precarious conditions despite their years of service. The Vancouver Airport Authority has declared that it offers a living wage and encourages all service providers to provide a li…
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Mr. Speaker, I wonder how come the Liberals have been talking and acting like Conservatives since they came to power. Asylum seekers and refugees are human beings who are entitled to dignity, respect, and a transparent and honest process. Can my colleague assure us that Bill C-12 complies with the international conventions that protect the rights of refugees and that Canada has committed to uphold…
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Mr. Speaker, not a single young person will feel reassured by those answers. The home retrofit program is extremely popular, and rightly so. It lowers heating bills for families and it is good for the environment. People upgrade their insulation, doors and windows, install solar panels and so on. However, next week on October 1, funding for the program will dry up completely. What are the Liberals…
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Mr. Speaker, things were already bad, but now they are getting worse. In July, we lost 41,000 jobs. In August, we lost 66,000 jobs. The unemployment rate among young people is close to 15%. This summer, the unemployment rate among students was 18%. With the housing crisis and the climate crisis, it is not surprising that young people have lost hope for the future. When will the Liberals finally in…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, we are living in a troubling world where the truth and facts are slowly being buried under an onslaught of disinformation. Many experts are sounding the alarm in light of the rise in far-right ideas, the masculinist movement and fake news. All of this has an impact on democracy and public debate. With less space for reliable news, many people are a lot less informed. Bill C‑18 was sup…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the notwithstanding clause is a tool that is constitutional, legal and legitimate in many cases, including the ones that he just mentioned. However, in recent years, we have seen the notwithstanding clause being used more and more, in some cases in a heavy-handed way, especially when it is included in the bill itself. The provincial governments say that they are suspending fundament…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I am honoured to table today a petition signed by hundreds of people who point out that persons with disabilities deserve to have a dignified life. Unfortunately, the new Canada disability benefit does little to address poverty. In addition, this benefit is tied to the disability tax credit. Part of the problem is that only 1.6 million Canadians have access to the disability tax cre…
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Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a climate crisis. While drought, floods and forest fires are on the rise, the Conservative Party is moving a motion to say that we should pollute even more. Last week's Canadian Climate Institute report told us that we are not going to reach our greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets because of the oil and gas sector. What does my colleague have to say about…
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Mr. Speaker, since Monday, there have been people on the Hill reading the names of the 18,000 children of Gaza who have been killed in the genocide that is unfolding right before our eyes. Some of these children were killed by a sniper on their way to pick up food. An entire week will not be enough time to read all of these names. This tragedy requires serious action. It is time to stop the sale o…
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Mr. Speaker, on August 17, Air Canada flight attendants went on strike so they could get paid for the work they do prior to a flight. That same day, only a few hours later, the Minister of Jobs used section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to end the job action. This is a major assault on workers' rights. It is an attack on free collective bargaining. This is a handout to a company that was expecting…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to government contracts with vendors providing IT services to departments operating under the Treasury Board of Canada, broken down by fiscal year, since 2022-23, and by department: (a) what is the total number of contracts signed; (b) what are the details of all contracts signed, including the (i) vendor contracted, (ii) value of the contract, (iii) number of IT workers provided, (iv)…
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Mr. Speaker, today is World Refugee Day. That is the sad reality of 43 million people around the world. These people deserve our solidarity, but the Liberal government is moving in the opposite direction by proposing Trump-style militarization and border control. The Liberal rhetoric is dangerous. The NDP is clear: Anyone who shows up at our border seeking safety must be taken in and heard with re…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague mentioned, we have various concerns about the form and the substance. I will get back to that in a speech in a few minutes. In my colleague's opinion, what happens when bills are put forward that have so many implications and consequences for the future and the time isn't taken to listen to citizens, municipalities, the provinces, scientists, environmentalists and firs…
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP wants to develop projects of national interest that serve communities, respect first nations and guarantee a healthy environment for everyone, everywhere. There are ways to achieve that, but this bill offers us no guarantees. It gives one minister all the power to choose the projects. Once this bill is passed, we could end up with projects that cross through communities and pr…
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting against.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour of the motion.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting against the motion.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.
Read full speech →Government Orders
The NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting against.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to discuss Bill C-5, which is a monster of a bill. Unfortunately, I am also a little disappointed in our parliamentary institutions, because our rights as parliamentarians are being trampled on. We have not had much opportunity to discuss this bill, even though it has very wide-ranging implications and far-reaching consequences that will persist for y…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her excellent question. Advocating for the people of Nunavut, the Inuit, is always her top priority, as is defending the rights of indigenous peoples. During the short amount of time we had for discussions, the Conservatives touted the importance of reconciliation, working with the indigenous peoples and respecting treaties and their rights. Indeed, we can now…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour of the motion.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I respect the mandate that the people of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie gave me, which is to defend their interests, good jobs, the environment and the rights of indigenous peoples. That is what I am doing here today. The second thing I would like to say is that this bill does something absolutely unprecedented and extraordinary. It allows projects of national interest to not comply with e…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting yes.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, since time immemorial, the arts have been an integral part of human life. From the Lascaux cave paintings to film, music, dance and poetry, all peoples throughout time have expressed themselves through art. It makes the world a more beautiful place, it inspires, it stirs our emotions, it brings love and meaning into our lives. When we marvel at a work of art, a symphony or a painting,…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is imperative to preserve supply management for farmers in Quebec and across the country. Emergency rooms are overflowing and people are unable to find a family doctor. The governments in Ottawa and Quebec City are not doing what they should. What is more, the private sector, which is expensive, is not even getting the job done. This means fewer services for Quebeckers. Let us be c…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I always find it rather fascinating to hear the Conservatives talk about the elite, as though the Conservative Party were not the elite of major financiers, wealthy CEOs and big business across Canada. The proof that the Conservatives are working hand in hand with the financial elite and big business is that they gave tens of billions of dollars in tax breaks to big business when th…
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Madam Speaker, I found my colleague's speech very interesting, and I obviously agree with her. I want to share a little experience I had with my colleagues. Last spring, members of the Standing Committee on Health travelled to Montreal to talk about the opioid crisis and addiction. How many Conservative members came to learn about what is really happening on the ground? Not a single one. There are…
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Mr. Speaker, with help from the Liberals and private investors, the Norgate apartments purchase has gone through. It is the biggest housing purchase in Quebec this year. Given the raging housing crisis, this news has a lot of people worried, because the Liberal government has turned its back on them. Montrealers cannot afford the rents they are paying now. Instead of lining the pockets of private …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to work permits issued under international agreements or arrangements, since September 20, 2023: (a) how many work permits were issued to foreign nationals performing work under (i) an agreement or arrangement between Canada and the government of a foreign state or an international organization, other than those concerning seasonal agricultural workers, (ii) an agreement entered into b…
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With regard to funding programs offered through Environment and Climate Change Canada, since September 20, 2023: (a) were any funding programs used to hire members of the American Climate Corps to undertake work in Canada; and (b) what are the details of each funding program identified in (a), including the (i) number of American Climate Corps workers hired, (ii) amount of funding allocated to hir…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his very interesting speech. Over the past few years, the NDP has managed to wrestle nearly $8 billion from the minority government for indigenous housing, but that is not nearly enough. A lot more than that is needed. We consider it extremely important that this housing be for and by first nations. I would like my colleague to tell me a little about the nee…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to ask a question that may be a little off topic. On the subject of housing, I think that my colleague and I share a passion for social housing and co-operatives. We in the NDP used our opposition day to ask that the GST holiday be extended to essentials such as diapers, children's clothing and food prepared at the grocery store. We also wanted it…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, after months of investigating, gathering data, hearing testimony and analyzing the facts, Amnesty International has concluded that genocide is taking place against Palestinians in Gaza. After the bombing of civilian populations that has killed more than 52,000 people, injured more than 100,000 and displaced two million people in a zone from which they cannot escape, and with a humanit…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, we are living in difficult times, and the president-elect of the United States, who will be returning to power, has made threats with very serious consequences for the Canadian economy and job stability. He did so while saying that we are not capable of looking after our border. Can my colleague admit that we are being criticized for having a porous border today largely because Stephe…
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