Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from eastern Quebec and I often talk about trains. We are currently discussing high-speed rail, this major project, but there is also the problem of Via Rail's passenger train service, which I think both of us are concerned about, but that is a separate issue. On the issue of cost, obviously that is a point that deserves to be raised and studied. If we go too fast, withou…
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Mr. Speaker, if anything, I wish that my colleague were right and that this were all made up, because I would be less concerned for the people over there. Some mayors are now saying that they are not being consulted. That is a fact. What does Bill C-15 do? It exempts the project from a number of protections that were enshrined in law. These are legitimate concerns, and it worries me when my collea…
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Mr. Speaker, what is progress? In my opinion, that means moving forward as a society toward the common good. Was Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau's Mirabel Airport project a step in the right direction at the end of the 1960s? No, because the plan for an airport of the future fell through, but also and especially because it was rushed. With the massive expropriations carried out by the federa…
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Mr. Speaker, my question for my colleague is this. What is his reaction to the public concern underlying our motion? People are afraid that their property will be stolen out from under them and that their rights will be violated. How does my colleague respond to the fact that we are being attacked, here in the House, for raising public concerns? We are being accused of spreading disinformation and…
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Madam Speaker, as I talk about housing, I would like to also broach the subject of young people, justice and hope. First, let us talk about our young people. They are buckling under the weight of a triple crisis: unaffordable housing, crushing debt and unemployment, which is two times higher than other generations. In fact, 59% of people under 35 report having serious housing problems. That figure…
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Mr. Speaker, it would be difficult for me to speculate on what is motivating my colleagues' position on our motion. I think the general idea is that this is a great project and we want everything to be great. Nevertheless, we have to be very careful in life. It is like when someone wants to build something and is too hasty. I believe that we are the voice of reason in all of this, and perhaps this…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the people of Gaspé have been without Via Rail passenger rail service for over 12 years, a service that is essential for our community. Passenger rail service supports the regional economy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps people get around. We are talking about 12 years of neglect by a Crown corporation that is largely funded with taxpayers' money and whose mandate includes…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleague for his resilience considering the challenges he has overcome, which have no doubt made him stronger. While we are talking about the rising cost of living, he is focusing a lot on the carbon tax. I have a question for him. Does he not recognize that global warming, the accelerating deterioration of the climate, the increased flooding, the increased droug…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his interesting remarks on the country's debts. It is well known and accepted by everyone: more debts equals less freedom. Now, my question is as follows. When the government has to address certain issues, is it better for the state to go into debt or for households to do so? What we are seeing is that household debt has increased fairly significantly …
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Mr. Speaker, I think that, like me, my colleague is concerned about the impact inflation is having on people. I would like to share that, shortly before Christmas, I was walking around Chandler, in my riding. I stopped at an arena to chat with people. One of the volunteers, who might have been over 65, came up to me, took me by the arm and asked me what we are doing here, because he cannot make en…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague. I am willing to work with her on this important matter. There is a food bank near me in Gaspésie that has had to turn away people. Let us imagine these people, who must overcome their shame and who show up to get food, but who are unfortunately turned away because so many people showed up that the food bank worker had to screen applications. I spoke with …
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Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague on her speech. I want to talk to her about one specific aspect of Bill C-16, which is a bill that we support. There is one measure that I believe will make a difference, and it involves criminal harassment. I was a legal aid lawyer for 10 years. I had clients who came to me who were victims of criminal harassment. However, because of the way the off…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish my colleague a happy new year and a happy return to Parliament. Let us talk a bit about femicide, because the start of the year has been tragic. There have been several femicides, in Quebec at least. This bill will impose harsher sentences and make it possible to charge those who commit these heinous crimes with first-degree murder. Can my colleague tell us what t…
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Mr. Speaker, it seems a little presumptuous to think that we members of the House can foresee every possible scenario or that we can see things clearly from here that we can establish a rule that would be safe from any exceptions, in any scenario. The truth is that life in society is very complex, and all kinds of stories are uncovered in courtrooms. If judges are allowed to deviate from a minimum…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, tonight we are debating Bill C-246, which was introduced by my colleague from Lethbridge, Alberta. I commend her. This bill seeks to amend the Criminal Code to require that sentences imposed on offenders convicted of multiple sexual offences be served consecutively, that is, one after the other, in cases where multiple offences are committed against one victim at the same time and als…
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Madam Speaker, I understand why the debate is getting heated, because what we are talking about is important. I am happy that my colleague is speaking out on behalf of seniors in her riding because I, too, have seniors in my riding who are contacting me and calling our offices. They tell us how hard life is for them because they do not have the ability to work to increase their income, in many cas…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to talk to my colleague about a specific aspect of Bill C‑15. Last week, there was an announcement about the agreement between the federal government and Alberta and the possible construction of a pipeline. Bill C‑15 contains a kind of fast track that allows a minister to exempt a company from the application of almost every law but the Criminal Code. Given that announcement an…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her presentation of the bill she is sponsoring. I just want to draw something to everyone's attention because I get the impression it was not mentioned. I may have missed a word or two. It is already possible to give consecutive sentences in the case of a repeat sex offender or someone who commits multiple sex offences. Under the current system, with the Crimi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, this is no time to celebrate. The Canada-Alberta oil deal announced yesterday is climate betrayal. We were worried that the Liberals might announce one new pipeline in the west. Instead, they announced that there could be several, in addition to the Trans Mountain expansion, to extract at least 1.4 million more barrels of oil per day. The Liberals are also openly threatening to impo…
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Madam Speaker, I want to explore this Conservative philosophy with my colleague to make sure I understand. Today, we are being told that we must respect the internal capacity of indigenous peoples, equip them, and allow them to develop. However, yesterday's announcement was about a pipeline project out west. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs says that it does not want the pipeline and wa…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. I fully understand the emotional weight he carries. I have some questions for him, and later on I will explain why I think his bill will be difficult, if not impossible, to implement. I want to hear him on what he said, because he is aware that there are constitutional issues at play. There is a charter article against cruel and unusual punishmen…
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Madam Speaker, I want to repeat my question for my colleague. If he is truly serious about his initiative, then he must promise the victims today that if this bill passes and is later struck down, and if the Conservative Party ever forms a government, it will use the notwithstanding clause to uphold the bill.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, we are debating the bill introduced by my Conservative Party colleague, who was elected in Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, in British Columbia. I salute him and I would like him to know that I have the utmost respect for him, despite the fact that I strongly disagree with his approach. His Bill C-235 proposes to amend the Criminal Code so that, in cases of murder preceded by kidnapping o…
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Madam Speaker, what is going on right now is rather ironic. In fact, it is beyond irony. It is black comedy. Here we have a Liberal bill that we agree on, which talks about reconciliation with indigenous peoples and the need to consult them in advance. However, just yesterday, this same government announced an agreement to shove a pipeline down the throats of indigenous people in British Columbia …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the Liberal's ridiculous pipeline announcement yesterday betrays the climate and betrays voters who thought that voting Liberal would be greener than voting Conservative. It betrays the Liberals who went into politics to help the environment, and it betrays the victims of increasingly frequent natural disasters who expect their elected officials to behave responsibly. The question t…
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Madam Speaker, I have two questions for my colleague. I know he is quite capable of answering more than one. My first question is this. What does my colleague make of the current situation in Parliament? Two opposition parties worked together in committee to improve a bill, to make it better and more reasonable. Now, with this debate, all the work that was done in committee could be completely tos…
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Madam Speaker, Halloween is here, as we have just heard, and the Liberals are trying to give people a fright. They are threatening to call an election if their budget is not passed, yet they are a minority. All they have to do to get their budget passed is come to an agreement with the Bloc Québécois, the Conservatives, the NDP or any of the parties. The Bloc Québécois's demands concern Quebeckers…
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Madam Speaker, the Liberals have the choice of three parties to support their budget. Of course we would prefer that they work with us because our demands meet the needs of Quebeckers on health and seniors' purchasing power. We would like them to invest more in Quebec than in the oil companies or in tax breaks for big tech. It is up the Liberals. What is the choice of the Liberals right now? They …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Edmonton Griesbach for his account and the testimony he presented to us in the House. We have to understand the pain and suffering that victims go through when they have to return to the Parole Board. Everyone can understand that. Has my colleague considered alternatives to limiting the number of times a murderer can apply to the Parole Board? Has he consider…
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Mr. Speaker, today we are here to debate Bill C‑243, introduced by my colleague from Edmonton Griesbach. Under this bill, someone who has been convicted of first- or second-degree murder will no longer be able to apply for parole a second time if their first application is refused. That person would have to wait a minimum of five years before submitting a new application. Before discussing the bil…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. It really is so important, because what people want is reassurance. Perhaps the first thing to do is explain to people how the system works now, which is why I humbly took some time to explain the current rules. I think one way to provide that reassurance is to help them better understand how criminal law works.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague a question. What is the factual basis for the government's claim that the bail system is broken? When the Minister of Justice announced Bill C-14, he said that accused persons had a "get out of jail free" card, and that being granted bail was incredibly easy. The figures show that, in Canada, 71% of inmates in provincial or territorial prisons are curr…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my colleague. The Minister of Justice said that under the current system, when someone is charged, they have a free pass that they can show and they will be released right away. I want to know the factual basis for that claim. The figures show that, in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada, 70% of people in provincial prisons are currently awaiting trial. By comparison,…
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Mr. Speaker, earlier I asked one of the member's colleagues to give us the facts that the government is working from to call for an amendment to the Criminal Code's bail provisions. I did not really get an answer earlier. We were told that some people were complaining. I will give the government another opportunity, through the member, to explain to us the current problem with the bail system. Wha…
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Mr. Speaker, what tool is missing from the Criminal Code that judges can use to keep potentially dangerous individuals in remand until their trial?
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Mr. Speaker, under the Criminal Code, a person charged with murder is held in custody before their trial. Certain reverse onus provisions already apply. For example, if a person has been previously convicted or discharged of a charge of intimate partner violence, if it happened before and the person is charged again, the onus is reversed. This makes it much easier for the Crown prosecutor to keep …
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Mr. Speaker, today we are debating Bill C-14, which was introduced by the Minister of Justice last week. When he introduced the bill, he said it was important to get rid of the “get out of jail free” card. That is really what I want to focus on, even though there are a lot of other things in this rather dense bill with 80 clauses. Among other things, the bill proposes to amend the provisions on in…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague says that the demand is real. I know that people are worried, including in his home province of Manitoba. Yes, they do not feel safe, but we have to look beyond feelings. We have to look at the Criminal Code as it stands and the values that underpin it, including the presumption of innocence. We will study all that. There is a risk that, in responding to a perception of b…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for asking her question in my language. Obviously, that is basically what we are saying. My fear is that this is going to make the entire process futile and pointless. In other words, we will meet in committee, decide on certain things, then return to the House and tear up everything we did. I think we need to find a way to include the amendments we …
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Mr. Speaker, in the amendments that were voted on in committee, there is this notion of righting wrongs as well as setting guidelines and ensuring that people who become Canadians continue to maintain a genuine connection to their new country. Can my colleague discuss another key amendment, which provides for the publication of an annual report to determine the impact of this legislation? My colle…
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Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, today's debate raises important questions about democracy. What role do judges play and what role do legislators play? The judge said it was discriminatory and told legislators to do their job and determine what the real connection is between a Canadian born abroad and his or her country. A guideline has been proposed, a reasonable limit that mirrors the immigrat…
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Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump has broken off talks. We are a long way from an agreement, despite the Liberal rescue promised during the election campaign. Yes, some things are unpredictable, but other things are in Ottawa's control, including how we protect our people. As yet, assistance for the lumber sector is still on hold. Three hundred jobs were lost at Paccar because of truck tariffs. Meanwhile,…
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Mr. Speaker, the idea of diversifying our trade partnerships over the next 10 years, as the Prime Minister proposes, is a good one. However, for workers in our sawmills, at Paccar, at our aluminum smelters and steel plants, 10 years is forever. The Prime Minister has an obligation to get results for Quebeckers now living with a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. We need the diversificatio…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague the following question: What is the purpose of parliamentary committees? I understand what my colleague is saying, and of course, the House is sovereign in its votes, but the committee, which includes members of recognized opposition parties, worked hard to improve the bill. Today, the government is trying to undermine the work of the committee by join…
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Mr. Speaker, indeed, we support the principle behind Bill C‑3. In the course of our work and research, we realized that, of course, wrongs need to be made right, and we agree in principle, although the impact of this could be quite significant. That is what the Parliamentary Budget Officer told us. Up to 150,000 more people could become Canadian citizens unless we establish guidelines. At the leas…
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Mr. Speaker, today we are debating Bill C-3, an act to amend the Citizenship Act. This bill responds to a court ruling. Let us take a look at the historical background. In 2009, the Harper government amended the Citizenship Act to prohibit the transmission of citizenship beyond the second generation for children born outside Canada, even if their parents are Canadian. In December 2023, the Ontario…
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Mr. Speaker, the people of the Gaspé have been abandoned by Via Rail, which refuses to reinstate the service it used to provide there, despite the $1.3 billion it receives in federal assistance for things like operating regional routes, and despite the $355 million that Quebec has spent on repairing the rail line as far as Port‑Daniel. Via Rail takes money from Ottawa to serve the regions, but it …
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Mr. Speaker, I noticed that my colleague used the word “discipline” in her speech and that she spoke on the importance of being disciplined and diligent when managing public finances. I would like to hear what she has to say about the action taken by her government immediately before the election, when it eliminated the carbon tax and refunded Canadians outside Quebec and British Columbia nearly $…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech, which is firmly rooted in the reality of her constituents. I want her opinion because we in the Bloc Québécois also think that this government is mismanaging public finances and that—
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Mr. Speaker, I was congratulating my colleague on her speech, firmly rooted in the reality of her constituents. I would like her opinion. We in the Bloc Québécois think that the government is mismanaging public finances and that our deficit is much too high and is the result of several bad moves. One of those bad moves made by Mr. Carney's government was to cancel the carbon tax—
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