Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is also concerned about the fight against crime. We have a few ideas on the table. We have talked about removing the religious exemption for hate speech from the Criminal Code. We have also talked about a bill to ensure that trials for intimate partner crimes are not abandoned because of the Jordan decision. The member spoke about street gangs. My colleague from R…
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Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague for speaking on Bill C-12, but unfortunately I get the feeling that both the Conservatives and the Liberals have forgotten that the public elected a minority government, in other words a government that should work diligently, with as little partisanship as possible. It should take into account the fact that there is no majority in the House and that we hav…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Hamilton Mountain for her speech and her bill. I heard some of the testimony she referred to at the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, but that was during a study on the criminalization of coercive control. I remember that the committee members, including my colleague, said that this issue merited separate study so that it could be examined in greater…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to start with a comment, and then I have a question. First, I find it odd that my colleague is talking about filibustering in the House, since I have seen the Conservatives filibuster in committee on a number of occasions since I was elected in 2019, and that has delayed the committees' work. In fact, the Conservatives were often in the news last fall for their filibust…
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Mr. Speaker, I am speaking this evening about Bill C‑223, an act to amend the Divorce Act. It is a delicate subject that requires great sensitivity. There are human tragedies behind this bill, as well as a lot of distress. I am very aware that this bill is a response to the study on the criminalization of coercive control that I proposed to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. I will pre…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to come back to a previous question. It has been pointed out that Bill C‑2 had already been introduced. This is one of the bills that people were asking me about because they had concerns. Was it these concerns or other factors that motivated this change? How did we go from Bill C‑2 to this new version, Bill C‑12, and what was the main reason for this change?
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Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the work that my colleague from Lac-Saint-Jean has done on this file. He always asks us to deal with this immigration issue meticulously and compassionately. That being said, where were the Liberals and the Conservatives when the Bloc Québécois was talking about reviewing the safe third country agreement? Where are the Liberals and the Conservatives when the Bloc…
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Mr. Speaker, an important aspect of border security that I talked about in my speech is human resources. We need enough officers and workers so that border crossings are effective. To improve the situation, the Bloc Québécois suggested allowing the CBSA to patrol between border crossings. Budget cuts at the CBSA are nothing new. When I was working as an assistant to the former member for Brome—Mis…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon to speak to Bill C‑12, which deals with border security and immigration and follows on from an earlier bill, Bill C‑2. The government ultimately came back with Bill C‑12. We are now discussing this whole matter of border security and immigration against the backdrop of these two successive bills. Of course, we will study Bill C‑12 at committee with the thoroughne…
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Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the issue is that additional resources are needed. Additional resources have been announced for the RCMP, but nothing has been announced for the Canada Border Services Agency. There are some good measures, but there is still room for improvement. We would be happy to go back to committee to study the issue of border security. Some unions are calling for more resourc…
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Mr. Speaker, when we talk about border security, we are also taking about the RCMP. What does my colleague think of the attacks on the RCMP at a time when what we actually need is to increase funding and strengthen security at our borders?
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Mr. Speaker, it will be important to look at that in committee. The Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security will be examining Bill C‑12 and the matter of border security. The issue of sentencing will be looked at by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. I encourage members to examine these serious and important issues in the most non-partisan way possible. That bein…
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Mr. Speaker, here is another example of Liberal hypocrisy. It is true that in committee, the Liberals voted in favour of the bill to increase OAS. That vote took place in the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. However, when the time came to defend their position in the House and take responsibility for their decision, o…
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Mr. Speaker, today's motion contains some things that we agree on, and some things that we agree on less. What we most agree on is our impression that there is no one at the controls, that the government has lost control of public finances. I am going to cite a few figures about the deficit since last December. It all started a long time ago, but I am going to talk about events over this brief per…
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Mr. Speaker, I am fascinated by the discussions and debates in the House today. I really feel like I am witnessing Harry Potter-like budget magic, or highly creative budgeting. Numbers can be made to say a lot of things. That is exactly what my colleague is showing us. On the other hand, I am trying to see how we can properly control public finances when we are forgoing revenue like the carbon tax…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague spoke at length about the importance of nation-to-nation relationships and supporting projects designed and led by and for indigenous peoples. Last year, I met with a group that came to talk to me about the Yänonhchia' project. I hope I am pronouncing that correctly. This project, which needed $150 million in funding, aimed to facilitate access to affordable capital for i…
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Mr. Speaker, there is one aspect that has not been discussed much today. In this difficult economic climate, there are some very active groups that are considering ways to develop the economy in the regions. Yesterday in Granby, there was an event that focused on economics. It brought together representatives from the chambers of commerce across the Eastern Townships. I would have liked to have be…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his speech, in which he promised us a budget that will revolutionize the Canadian economy. Among other things, he spoke about the idea of establishing one economy, which was proposed by the Prime Minister. I would like to know whether the hon. member is aware that a unanimous motion was tabled in the National Assembly of Quebec on April 1, 2025. …
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Mr. Speaker, it is true that it has been 10 years. That was the timeline we saw with the Liberals. My hon. colleague and I worked together on this file, and I remember studying this issue. With all due respect, I would like to ask him a question. Who appointed Mr. Vance 10 years ago? Was it not the Conservatives?
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with my hon. colleague, the member for Laurentides—Labelle. Today, we are talking about Bill C-11, the military justice system modernization act. This is an issue that I have been following since the beginning of my first term. As the Bloc Québécois critic for the status of women, I have had to take a stand on this issue a…
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Mr. Speaker, we still have to do the work in a reasonable and rigorous manner in committee, as the Bloc Québécois always does. What we do know is that the media reported on this story in 2021, and it is now 2025. Things need to change. Among other things, the Quebec government's report on rebuilding trust recommended the creation of independent tribunals and the transfer to the civil system. This …
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Mr. Speaker, in my speech, I mentioned some proposals. What women are still waiting for is a real culture change, so there is some action that can be taken. We also want civilian prosecutors to receive mandatory training on military realities and trauma. It is all well and good to set up independent tribunals, but we must also proactively educate people to ensure that they are truly aware of the d…
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Mr. Speaker, that question from my colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton is important and essential. My colleague will be the one who will be able to propose improvements to this bill in committee on behalf of the Bloc Québécois. As I said, issues related to purges and cases of assault have existed within the armed forces for decades. These situations have dragged on. Although the Conservativ…
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Mr. Speaker, my question is twofold. First, my colleague raised the issue of sexual crimes. We are currently studying a report on gender-based crimes in the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. The report discusses the fact that women are victims of violence, but also addresses the fact that they are victimized again by these time limits that are so unreasonable that their attackers can get …
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Mr. Speaker, crime is a complex issue. It is also a matter of intervention. We need to look at this from a perspective that is as broad as possible. That is what the Bloc Québécois is trying to do by making various suggestions, such as cracking down on criminal organizations. That is important. We are also proposing to create a registry of criminal organizations, to facilitate the seizure of asset…
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Mr. Speaker, today, we are talking about an important and serious subject that warrants important and serious debate. Right now, the opposition motion that the Conservative Party is proposing is more of a gag order on a bill that affects people's rights. That is what my question for my colleague is about. The Conservatives' bill should be debated and studied in committee with the seriousness it de…
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Mr. Speaker, one thing that has not been discussed much in today's debate is the fiscal imbalance. My colleagues may be wondering what the fiscal imbalance has to do with today's debate and whether I am out to lunch. Let me explain. What we are debating today is a federal matter, but let us not forget that every decision made here regarding the Criminal Code inevitably has repercussions on the fin…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to join my colleague from Rivière-du-Nord in expressing condolences to the family of Gabie Renaud. My colleague also mentioned other cases that prove the number of femicides is growing. The Standing Committee on the Status of Women agreed to study a report from the last Parliament on gender-based crimes, particularly crimes against women. What we heard from victims and su…
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Mr. Speaker, the list of serious offences related to today's motion includes aggravated sexual assault. I would like my colleague to explain what aggravated sexual assault means to him because that is something that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women is looking at right now. I moved a motion in committee on gender-based crimes, crimes committed against women. I also moved a motion to en…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague's speech comes at a time when we are preparing to study a report on crimes against women. These crimes obviously leave their mark. When victims came to testify before the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, they said that regulating the use of the Jordan decision could make a real difference. The Bloc Québécois previously introduced Bill C-392 to regulate the use o…
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Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, of which I am a vice-chair, is finalizing our report on coercive control, gender-based violence and femicide. These studies started during the last Parliament and we are picking up where we left off. Our next study will focus on a motion that was tabled in collaboration with the Conservative members of the committee. The study will seek t…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to pick up on the question that was just asked. The Liberals have been talking a lot about this bail reform promised by the Minister of Justice. I have colleagues on the Standing Committee on the Status of Women who have spoken to me about it. We were told that it would happen this fall and that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women should not take on too much because w…
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Madam Speaker, I too come from a rural riding. Shefford has many rural areas. One economic factor that has not been discussed much here today, but which may have an impact on inflation, is labour. This summer, in July, business owners from the Eastern Townships invited me to lunch to talk about their situation and the financial pressure caused by the issue of foreign workers and its impact. They n…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by stating that I will be sharing my time with our chief whip, who is first and foremost the member for Berthier—Maskinongé. I think that he himself would say that his role as a member of Parliament is the more important one. We Bloc Québécois members are, above all, here to represent our constituents. It is in the rather unusual context of the return of Parliame…
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Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to work with my colleague on sensitive issues such as women experiencing violence and the need to empower women economically so they can break the cycle of poverty. Like me, she is her party's critic for seniors. I remember going to her office to discuss the importance of increasing seniors' income in order to improve their financial situation. That is cruci…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. He spoke about a community that is particularly important to me, since I come from the riding of Shefford, which is home to fantastic rural communities that support Quebec agriculture. We have heard from people in the farming community about what is really causing prices to go up, which we have seen over the years. Input prices are up, with fertili…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Berthier—Maskinongé, whom I call the super whip and who is also the agriculture, agri-food and supply management critic. That is, of course, what the agricultural community is asking us for right now. I must applaud my colleagues for passing the Bloc Québécois's bill because, this summer, people were thanking me for getting that bill passed. We need to contin…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member, who is a new colleague of mine at the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. I welcome her to the committee. Right now, I am genuinely deeply concerned about the federal government's attempts to interfere in Quebec's jurisdiction once again, instead of taking concrete action to lift women out of poverty. Here is an example. Some women stay in violent situations…
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Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing my colleague and I agree on, it is the mismanagement of public finances. That is clear. The government is being led by someone who presented himself as the great banker-in-chief during the last election campaign. He boasted about being able to control public finances. What we saw, however, was someone who deprived the government of revenue by lowering taxes and f…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his speech, which I think complemented mine well. Today's discussion covers a very broad topic. We see the consequences of inflation, price increases. I thank him for pointing out that creating false taxes or waving a magic wand for solutions does not work. It takes real action. Right now, farmers are the first to see the effects of climate chang…
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Mr. Speaker, the tax cut was just a scheme to get more votes, and it was temporary. Cutting the carbon tax was the same thing. What seniors want is a long-term increase in their income. If my colleague opposite were listening to seniors' groups, he would know that they need long-term assistance. The government needs to increase pensions by 10% for seniors aged 65 to 74, who were left out last time…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on October 1, International Seniors Day, I want everyone to take a moment to think about those who built Quebec. We need to find solutions to the issues that affect them most, such as isolation and abuse. More importantly, we need to take action to support them in dealing with the skyrocketing cost of living. That is why the Bloc Québécois is taking this opportunity to announce that w…
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Mr. Speaker, a school food program is all well and good, but when we are talking about what we can do to help people in our ridings cope with this inflation, I find it somewhat unfortunate that the Liberals keep reminding us that they are helping students in schools. It is like when they told us that they were helping seniors because they were giving more money to food banks. The Liberal governmen…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. I would like to pick up on what the member for Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères said in his question. The parliamentary secretary responded that there was a a risk of violations based on what is happening in the United States, but that is precisely the crux of the issue. We are currently seeing a rise in religious influence on the governmen…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. She mentioned taking a look back at a bill previously introduced by the government. The question of the notwithstanding clause was previously brought forward by Mr. Lametti, who was recently rewarded for being a good, useful Liberal. However, I want to draw my colleague's attention to some research done, and I have figures. In 2016—this research wa…
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Madam Speaker, I will bring my colleague back to today's debate. Since this morning, it has been difficult for the Conservatives to speak to this issue. As my colleague, the member for Saint-Jean, said this morning, I think that we are perfectly able to walk and chew gum at the same time. We agree that we need to address the cost of living. However, I think that it is entirely legitimate to defend…
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Mr. Speaker, in fact, I would like to hear what my colleague has to say about the Liberals' hypocrisy in this debate. The Liberal spin they tried to pass off is that they did not want to touch the issue of secularism, boasting about being the great defenders of Quebec. They hide behind this pretense to challenge the notwithstanding clause, implying, for example, that it could even be invoked to su…
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is also very concerned about rising crime. We will therefore be partners when it comes time to discuss this issue. However, I would like to draw my colleague's attention to another very troubling statistic. In 2024 alone, 274 cases were dropped in Quebec because of the Jordan decision. If we want to restore the confidence of victims and the public, would it not be b…
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Madam Speaker, I will ask my question in a non-partisan spirit. The issue of rising crime is worries the Bloc Québécois. On a more personal level, as the status of women critic, I have seen the numbers showing the rise in crime and particularly crimes against women. This is what drove me to move a motion, which will be the first motion before the Standing Committee on the Status of Women this fall…
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Madam Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, this issue of rising crime is deeply troubling, and women in particular are being targeted. At the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, we will be resuming the studies we started in the previous Parliament that were interrupted by the election. We will be resuming one study on gender-based violence and another on coercive behaviour and the criminalizati…
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