Parliamentary Speeches
525 speeches by Claude DeBellefeuille — Page 3 of 11
Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the member. She is very critical of the Liberal government. She has a lot to say. She is highly critical of it, so what I do not understand is why she voted in favour of time allocation to pass Bill C‑5 quickly, with no debate, with no experts, with nothing. She criticizes it, but what she is not saying out loud is that she is happy with Bill C‑5. The Liberals h…
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Mr. Speaker, I am almost one of the last to speak before the final passage of this bill. Numerous questions remain unanswered, which is normal, because there has been limited debate on this bill. We have heard from almost no witnesses and we did not have the opportunity to move many amendments. This bill was tabled in a rush to respond to the tariff crisis. I will say right off the bat that I am n…
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Mr. Speaker, as a female MP, I would like to take up the point that my colleague from Madawaska—Restigouche made. Not all colleagues elected to the House are exceptional. I think there is a petition going around against one of his colleagues that was launched by a group of women. My colleague is a scholar, he is educated and he knows what “exceptional” means. When he said that, it had an impact on…
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Mr. Speaker, I think the minister is well aware that the Bloc Québécois supports the first part of the bill, which the minister also supports. I have a more technical question for her. Once the bill is passed, we believe that Quebec dairy producers and slaughterhouses could quickly be federally licensed. Basically, we would no longer have to rely on the federal government and they would quickly re…
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Mr. Speaker, I highly doubt that Quebeckers voted for the Liberals so they could implement the Conservative agenda. Quebeckers voted for the Liberals because they were afraid of the Conservative leader, Mr. Poilievre, and they were afraid of Trump. They felt safe with the current Prime Minister. However, they never voted to be handed a bill that will impose a pipeline and other unwanted projects o…
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Mr. Speaker, that would deserve a long answer, but I would like to tell my colleague that we agreed on a few important amendments: removing the Canada Labour Code, the Official Languages Act and the Indian Act so that they are excluded from Bill C‑5. However, without the participation of the Bloc Québécois or the NDP, with the support of these Conservative amendments, this was not part of the orig…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move: That the House recognize the impressive work of the Sûreté du Québec and Ontario Provincial Police in the last few days following the disappearance of little Claire Bell. That it salute and thank the hundreds of volunteer, witnesses and groups who offered their support for the search operations and contr…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's speech. He is always so impassioned when he believes in what he is saying. I am surprised, because the law is important to him. It seems to me that the bill before us responds to a ruling by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Is he prepared to convince his colleagues in the House of Commons not to respond to a ruling by the Ontario Superior C…
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Mr. Speaker, I recognize my colleague's thoroughness and professionalism, but I am wondering about something after listening to his speech. If he is interested in the issue and in debating it, why does he not agree that the bill should be studied in committee? Then he would have a chance to debate it and hear from experts. Why does he want to defeat Bill C-3 at this stage?
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Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that, currently, border officers have the ability and authority to inspect rail cars carrying imported goods. Bill C-2 now includes an additional power, the power to inspect rail cars carrying goods destined for export. How will officers do that, though? Currently, even though they are empowered to inspect rail cars containing imported goods, they do it rare…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to mention that Quebec just got some amazing news. The three-year-old girl who has been missing for three days after being abandoned by her mother has just been found in St. Albert, Ontario. I wanted to share my happiness with everyone in the House of Commons. I want to thank the police officers and everyone else who actively helped find little Cl…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's speech and got the impression that he has grievances against the government and that he disagrees with its actions. Did I misunderstand? Is this member preparing to vote in favour of gagging debate on the important bill C-5?
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Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if you were in the Speaker's chair when I told the House earlier today that June 12 is “Quebec Buy Local Day”. This is the first initiative of its kind in Quebec, and I want to encourage all my colleagues in the House, both the Bloc Québécois and the other political parties, to go buy a local Quebec product. Personally, I always keep a supply of rosemary-marinated eggs f…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's speech. In his opinion, did the previous government, like the current one, make every effort to recover the amounts that were wrongfully billed to it and, by extension, to taxpayers? Does my colleague believe that the government is doing everything necessary to identify the public service officials who failed to exercise vigilance and diligence i…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today because it is a special day. It is June 12, “Quebec Buy Local Day”. Today is Quebec's first-ever buy local day and I am proud to take the floor and showcase my earrings. They were made by a creator in my riding, Verretuose. That was an aside to tell people to buy local. Now, I have a question for my colleague, who is a very conscientious, thorough and hard-w…
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Mr. Speaker, during the 2025 election campaign, the Bloc Québécois proposed reducing spending on the public service and external consultants by $21 million over five years. The Liberal government is also proposing to cut spending on outside consultants, which is a good thing. However, what we do not understand is that the main estimates provide for an 8% increase in spending, while the supplementa…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Quebec has lost a fierce advocate for Quebec independence, the French language, workers' rights and state secularism. Henri Laberge passed away on May 2. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. Henri Laberge fought on all fronts for our nation, from the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale to the Bloc Québécois…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague whom I respect. I had the pleasure of sitting with her on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, and I know that she is a disciplined and principled woman. I would like to know her opinion on the following question. On April 1, in the middle of the election, the Prime Minister abolished the carbon tax, so the tax is no more. If it had stayed, res…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, Donald Trump's attacks on our economy are escalating, and our industries are not asking for the moon. They are asking for guarantees in terms of access to liquidity when needed and access to wage subsidies to hang onto their workers and their expertise. All we are asking the Liberals to do is to plan ahead for once, rather than waiting for plants to close and for Quebeckers to lose …
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Madam Chair, this week, we learned through media reports that the RCMP was recruiting in English only outside Quebec. We were very disheartened to learn that. I know the minister is committed to improving his French. Does he intend to bring the RCMP into line and demand that it remedy this situation?
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Madam Chair, people in my riding are very aware of the presence of helicopters. We are talking about farmers. We are talking about people whose land is being used by smugglers' vehicles and illegal migrants. People feel as though they have to set up barriers themselves. Does the minister intend to support people who are constantly grappling with this phenomenon and help them cover the cost of inst…
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Madam Chair, I would now like to talk about the issue of gender transitions for prisoners and inmates who have assaulted women. There was a deplorable case in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean. A pedophile was released and was now identifying as a woman with a different first name, but the information was not shared with the victim he had raped. According to Radio-Canada reports, the victim's family only le…
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Madam Chair, the government intends to hire 1,000 additional officers, but only 600 border services officers can be trained each year because of a lack of training centres. Does the government intend to create another training centre for border services officers?
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Madam Chair, according to the Customs and Immigration Union, the Canada Border Services Agency needs an additional 2,000 to 3,000 border officers to carry out its duties. The Canada Border Services Agency training centre can only train 600 officers per year, which is in line with current attrition rates. During the most recent election, the Liberal Party talked about hiring 1,000 additional CBSA o…
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Madam Chair, to improve border security, the Customs and Immigration Union has proposed that officers be allowed to patrol outside their border crossings to intercept migrants who may be crossing the border illegally. We support this proposal to establish co‑operation between the RCMP and border services officers. Does the minister support the idea of giving patrol officers the authority to monito…
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Madam Chair, does the minister have a chart to keep track of the hiring process and the start dates of these new RCMP officers? We know that recruitment is challenging and that training takes time. I would like him to explain to me how he intends to go about hiring 1,000 RCMP officers in a short period of time.
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Madam Chair, the government promised to hire 1,000 new RCMP officers. Can the minister tell us when those officers will be hired and when they will begin their duties?
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Madam Chair, regarding foreign interference, several measures in Bill C‑70 were adopted during the last Parliament, but the regulations still have not been implemented. When are you going to adopt these measures?
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Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleague is deeply concerned about the issue of firearms. Bill C-2 talks about giving more power to the Coast Guard to document and observe situations and share that information with the authorities. Does my colleague think this is a good tool for combatting illegal gun trafficking?
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Mr. Speaker, I am sure that my colleague shares my concern about the government's current lax approach to controlling gun trafficking. We know that guns are being smuggled illegally from the United States into our country, mainly in my riding, by waterway. Does my colleague agree that the Coast Guard should be given greater authority to monitor, document and report to authorities on certain crossi…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new member. He made a comment earlier that really got my attention about how opposition members do nothing but oppose and never propose anything. It is the complete opposite. The Bloc Québécois is known here for being hard-working and thorough, for proposing solutions, for improving things and for co-operating. Perhaps no one inform…
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Madam Chair, I am concerned about illegal border crossings in both directions because I represent a border region. Some farmers have even paid out of their own pockets, using their own money, to install barriers, to place rocks or vehicles, to prevent vehicles from illegally crossing their farmland. Will the government invest funds to install more physical barriers to prevent smugglers from using …
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Madam Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's speech, and I would like her to comment on something she did not really say too much about. I think we can all agree that the Liberal government really is managing the entire border, including traffic and border security. Does my colleague truly believe that border officers' powers can really be increased when we know perfectly well that recrui…
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Madam Chair, could the minister be more specific and tell us what he means by “in short order”? How long will it take? Will it be in a month, two months or a year? Can he clarify what he means by “in short order”?
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Madam Speaker, since this is the first round of speeches on the bill, I seek the unanimous consent of the House to share my time with the member for Lac‑Saint‑Jean.
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Madam Speaker, as the official Bloc Québécois public safety and emergency preparedness critic, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-2. I would remind the House that, today, we are beginning the speeches and debate on a bill and related measures aimed at securing the border between Canada and the United States. As my Conservative colleague mentioned, this 130-page bill amends some 10 laws.…
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Madam Speaker, let me reassure my colleague. As the member for a riding that borders the U.S., I have many contacts at the RCMP and the CBSA, among both the employers and the unions. For that reason, I can say that some of the decisions being made now are not at all consistent with the principle of Bill C-2. Let me give an example. Two border crossings in my riding have had their hours of service …
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Madam Chair, the minister is probably as concerned as I am about the situation of indigenous border communities. In my riding, that means Akwesasne. These communities are victims of geography and are being exploited by criminal groups from the big cities. For example, we know that guns are passing through indigenous reserves, but first nations police services are short on resources. Will the gover…
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Madam Speaker, I think that I have one topic of conversation that might interest my colleague. I am very interested in the issue of gun trafficking. A lot of guns are being smuggled into my riding from the U.S. by water. Bill C-2 would give the Canadian Coast Guard an additional patrolling mandate. What troubles me a bit about this bill is that the government seems to be planning to assign the Coa…
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Madam Speaker, I represent a southern Quebec riding where smugglers and criminal organizations exploit and abuse migrants hoping to cross the border illegally. It cannot be said that the previous government did much to limit, control or reduce this activity. As a member of Parliament, I have worked extensively with the RCMP to document and support residents dealing with this issue. I can also say …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his enlightening speech. Does my colleague think that Bill C‑2 will improve refugee claim processing times?
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Madam Chair, I will ask the minister to be more specific. Given that some officers are retiring, does the minister believe that training 600 officers per year will be enough to meet current and future requirements following the passage of Bill C‑2?
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Madam Chair, we have often seen that the government does not really know who is leaving Canada. For example, following a study by CIBC economists in 2023, the government discovered that Canada was undercounting its population by one million. Unlike some other countries, Canada has no exit immigration controls, such as biometric data checks on foreign nationals. As a result, the government is losin…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, with whom I will have the honour of serving on the public safety committee, which will hopefully be convened soon. He talked a lot about privacy. I agree with him. There will be a lot of discussion in committee on this issue, because there is a thin line between protecting security and protecting personal and confidential information. I would like to take him i…
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Madam Chair, I would like to ask the minister a question about gun control. We know there are a few months left in the amnesty period for guns that were banned on May 1, 2020. When will phase two of the buyback program be rolled out?
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Madam Chair, I would like the minister to clarify his thoughts on exit controls for foreign nationals. It is not right that there are foreign nationals in this country but we do not know where. We also do not know when they leave the country. What I really want the minister to clarify is what he is going to do to improve the situation. Is he satisfied with the current measures? Is he not aware tha…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, like my colleague, we stand in solidarity with the evacuees and everyone affected by the disaster. We have offered our condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in these tragic circumstances. My question is this. What more could my colleague's government be doing to fight climate change? What measures can it put in place to limit climate change? Could it be doing more?
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with the member for Repentigny. Although it is a sad occasion, I feel privileged to speak this evening in this emergency debate as the Bloc Québécois critic for public safety and emergency preparedness. I want to begin by saying that the Bloc Québécois stands in solidarity with the people currently grappling with the conse…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, we are seeing more and more of these disasters. Quebec went through something similar in 2023. We must think about what public policy makers can do to put preventive measures in place. It is clear that we will have to adapt to climate change. It is not enough to fix the damage; preventive action needs to be taken. It appears that the government still has a lot of work to do to put p…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for very moving speech, since he hails from the province that has declared a state of emergency. He said that the provinces and Canada may not have enough equipment to deal with the increasing number of natural disasters. He said that Manitoba will even need international aid. There is talk of getting reinforcements from Mexico, Australia and even Costa Ri…
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