Parliamentary Speeches
522 speeches by Claude DeBellefeuille — Page 6 of 11
Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Canada Post building located at 180 Victoria Street, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield: (a) what are the annual expenses related to the operation of the post office and the sorting facility; (b) what investments are planned between now and 2030 at this building and for the operations that take place there; and (c) what is the estimated market value of the building and the land?
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Mr. Speaker, history buffs will recall that on the night of May 7, 1944, in the midst of World War II, the frigate HMCS Valleyfield was torpedoed by a German ship, resulting in the deaths of 125 crew members. In a plot worthy of a Hollywood film, the frigate Valleyfield was carrying a top-secret decoder that enabled the allies to send each other secure, strategic messages. The whole saga is being …
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Madam Speaker, we agree with the member who just explained that it is impossible to identify our member. We know that. He is experiencing difficulties at the moment. He is trying to connect, but it is not working. We can proceed to the next vote. We are fine with that.
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Mr. Speaker, again, the member for Kenora's photo is not showing up, so I think you will have to withdraw his vote again.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the housing issue proves that we must prevent the federal government from meddling in Quebec's areas of jurisdiction. When the federal level decides where the money goes, Quebeckers get ripped off, and the numbers from CMHC prove that without a doubt. Since the national housing strategy was created in 2019, what share of the funding has Quebec received when the federal government is c…
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Mr. Speaker, although Quebeckers make up 22% of the population, we received 6.7% of federal housing investments when the projects were chosen by Ottawa. It does not take a math genius to realize that we are getting ripped off. Since 2019, the money has gone mostly to funding projects outside Quebec. We are in the midst of a full-on housing crisis and our tax dollars are being spent to house Ontari…
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Madam Speaker, could you check the member for Chilliwack—Hope's photo. I do not think you can recognize him.
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Madam Speaker, could you check to see if you recognize the member for Chilliwack—Hope in his photo.
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Mr. Speaker, could you please check the photos of the members for Winnipeg Centre and Winnipeg South Centre? It is hard to identify them.
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Mr. Speaker, if the federal government wants to say no to giving Quebec full control over immigration, then it needs to say yes to doing its own job, particularly with respect to asylum seekers. Families are trapped in inhumane situations. Some spend years worrying because the federal government is incapable of processing their claim. They have no idea whether they will have to leave the country. …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The interpreter has told us that he cannot do his job because of static.
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Mr. Speaker, the word of the day in Ottawa is “no”. They are saying no to sole jurisdiction for Quebec over immigration, but they are also saying no to the right to opt out with full compensation from the federal dental care program. They are saying no to the right to opt out of the federal pharmacare program with full compensation. They are saying no to advance requests for medical assistance in …
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Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to draw attention to the 150th anniversary of the City of Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield. Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield is marking 150 years of history, 150 years of pride, 150 years of generations of locals enjoying life on the shores of Baie Saint‑François. They are good people who know the secret to the famous Valleyfield grill seasoning. They are hard-working people who ne…
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Mr. Speaker, Ottawa needs to do something while there are still jobs to be saved. An emergency fund is needed to prevent further cuts. A payroll tax credit is needed for electronic media. A tax credit is needed for advertisers in traditional media. What is needed is an increase in federal advertising investments in traditional media along with a decrease in Liberal investments in Meta. What we nee…
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Mr. Speaker, the media crisis has once again swept away a part of our news media and a part of our democracy. Bell is laying off 4,800 employees. This comes on the heels of more than 500 job cuts at Quebecor and 600 at CBC/Radio-Canada. The entire industry has been imploding for years with no meaningful response by the federal government. Bill C‑11 is having no apparent impact because the CRTC is …
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to this Bloc Québécois opposition day on the important topic of successful immigration. What can I add to what has been said by the Bloc Québécois immigration critic, the member for Lac-Saint-Jean? Since he has a strong command of this file and detailed knowledge of the problems, I have decided to speak more specifically about successful immigration…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my Conservative colleague for her question, because it is a great question. The federal government owes Quebec $470 million, so paying that back would be a good place to start. Quebec would then have the money and financial flexibility needed to be able to increase services. We know that integration capacity is a complicated and complex issue. We also know that, although we do…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada can continue to think about it, but Quebec is ready. The Quebec National Assembly is unanimously calling for the federal government to amend the Criminal Code so that Quebec can move forward with advance requests. Ottawa has the moral duty to grant Quebec's unanimous request. Canadians have the right to take more time to think about this, but they do not have the right to make …
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec is a pioneer in Canada when it comes to compassion for people who are suffering. It was the first to implement medical assistance in dying. It is only natural that it is still ahead of the curve today. Quebec is ready to authorize advance requests for persons suffering from serious, incurable neurocognitive diseases. Quebec's legislation was adopted eight months ago, and those …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Shefford for her question. I know she is very attuned to this issue as well. When we welcome around 40 students from francophone African countries and we are so happy to have them in Salaberry—Suroît because they speak French and they want to study to become nurses and contribute to our health care system, it breaks my heart to know that they get here but do not…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question, which strikes me as quite partisan. The Bloc Québécois has raised an issue that is of concern to all the provinces, and one on which there is consensus this morning. I guess the member did not have a chance to read the Journal de Montréal, which very clearly indicated that both Quebeckers and Canadians think that Quebec and the provinces reall…
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Madam Speaker, once again, the French language is getting second-class treatment in this Parliament. Yesterday, the Conservatives and the NDP, supported by one Liberal who lost his way, decided in committee that the commissioners appointed to review miscarriages of justice will not have to be bilingual. Once again, these parties are turning their backs on francophones in Quebec and Canada. Justice…
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Madam Speaker, what we have just heard is appalling. Once again, this Parliament is devaluing francophones on the pretext of promoting diversity. Let me repeat: French is not an obstacle to diversity. In this country, French is a facet of diversity and the francophonie is diverse. The reasoning used is even more flawed in connection with justice, because both official languages have the force of l…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, it is with great sorrow that I rise today to share news of the passing of Donna Nichilo Bigras, a wonderful resident of Saint-Chrysostome. Ms. Bigras was a beloved mother, wife, friend, valued community leader, force of nature and model of positivity. The luckier among us would also say that she was a generous culinary genius. Ms. Bigras actively lobbied elected officials in the Hunti…
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Madam Speaker, during question period today, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship misled the House by insinuating that the leader of the Bloc Québécois compared immigrants to heat pumps. That is not what he did. I think we need to listen closely to what the leader of the Bloc Québécois said because he was actually condemning the minister's refusal to reimburse Quebeckers for the c…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, as you know, the member for Beloeil—Chambly, leader of the Bloc Québécois, was unable to open his app because it failed. He was unable to open Zoom. I seek unanimous consent for his vote to be recorded as no for the last vote.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, before I answer the question, I would like to make a brief comment. I do not know why the member is speaking so loudly. Every time he speaks, he seems shocked. I think I was calm. I speak French and I do not know if the member was wearing his earpiece, but I am calm. I am not being antagonistic at all. The member wants me to make a comparison and say who was right and who was wrong, b…
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Mr. Speaker, I have been candid in a way that, incidentally, has been acknowledged by the Speaker. My confidence is shaken. All of the Bloc Québécois members are going to find it difficult to recover their full confidence in the Speaker. Another concern of mine is the precedent this sets. It means that in the next Parliament or when the next Speaker is elected, we are accepting from the outset tha…
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Mr. Speaker, during his testimony on December 11, the Speaker was generous in that he stayed long enough to give a lengthy statement and answer questions from all the members of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. Honestly though, I really wish we had heard the news from the Speaker himself, instead of learning about it afterwards when we saw an Instagram post from his colleague…
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Mr. Speaker, it is always so interesting to listen to my colleague. I would just like to reassure him that I do not really like being compared to my Conservative colleagues. The Bloc's approach is not partisan. Our goal is not to cause chaos in the House. On the contrary, this is about upholding a principle. We are advocating for a rigorous approach. I was there for the study of the Standing Commi…
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Madam Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's speech. I have a simple question for him. We know that members on the other side of the House are practically spreading disinformation by saying that the report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs addressed all of the Speaker's missteps. That is false. After the study, a new event emerged. What we are asking is that the new…
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Mr. Speaker, I move that the 55th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented on Thursday, December 14, 2023, be concurred in. I would like to take this opportunity to wish a wonderful 2024 to all the citizens of the riding of Salaberry—Suroît. I wish them happiness and health for the coming year. Today, I am rising to speak to a report from the Standing Committee on…
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Mr. Speaker, I think I made a mistake. As my colleague pointed out, I cannot amend my own motion.
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, seven years ago, a gunman killed six people and wounded 19 others at the Quebec City mosque just because they were Muslim. This attack sent a shockwave across Quebec and made us all painfully aware that we are not immune to such hateful acts. Justice was served and the gunman ended up in prison, where he belongs, but our society as a whole must now be vigilant to ensure that intoleran…
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Mr. Speaker, I cannot disagree with my colleague's proposal to review the rules. However, I consider it so self-evident and clear that the Speaker must avoid raising the shadow of a doubt in the minds of members by participating in partisan activities. This was not a one-time occurrence. There was a video shown at an Ontario Liberal convention and a trip to Washington while we were in turmoil here…
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Mr. Speaker, this is too much. When interpreters tell us three times that it is too noisy to interpret and they are getting hurt, it is time to stop. It is our last day. Let us be adults.
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Mr. Speaker, I will not talk for long because we have important work to do. It is with regret and some sadness that the Bloc Québécois is presenting a dissenting opinion, but the impartiality of a Speaker is really very important to us. There must be zero tolerance for bias. We are of the opinion that the Speaker's mistake is unforgivable and that he must resign. In our dissenting opinion, we prov…
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec has made its stance on dental insurance very clear. Quebec's minister responsible for Canadian relations said, “Quebec is prepared to negotiate an agreement with the federal government to improve the plan in a way that respects jurisdictional considerations”. In other words, Ottawa can transfer the money, and Quebec will use it pay for its dental care priorities. Unfortunately,…
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Mr. Speaker, we expect this government to improve employment insurance, yet it twiddles its thumbs. We expect it to fix the Phoenix fiasco once and for all, but once again, paying or insuring its own workers is asking too much. We expect this government to foot the bill for asylum seekers, but no, they will not budge. However, when it comes to interfering in Quebec's jurisdictions, it is always fi…
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Mr. Speaker, when my colleague from Manicouagan rose in the House, she eloquently commended all House staff and all staff responsible for procedure. Now it is my turn to wish a happy holiday, a merry Christmas and a happy 2024 to everyone who helped simplify our work and who gave us their support along the way. There is no denying that the past parliamentary period has been difficult. I primarily …
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Mr. Speaker, it was with great sadness and a sense of regret that we prepared a dissenting opinion—
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, we have a duty to remember the Polytechnique tragedy out of respect for the victims and their loved ones and to make sure that it never happens again. Since 14 women were slaughtered in 1989 by a fanatical misogynist, every year we say, “never again”. Nevertheless, we are seeing an ever-increasing number of femicides every year. We have an obligation to find a solution to put an end t…
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour of the motion.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote. We will be voting yes.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote. We will be voting yes.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, could someone please check the member for Battlefords—Lloydminster's photo? It looks like she is not identifiable in her photo.
Read full speech →Orders of the day
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour of the motion.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, this is not a history class. My colleague and I are well aware that the Bloc Québécois is in favour of abolishing the monarchy and the Senate. This is not the first time we have said it. Right now, we have to work with the Senate. We are not in the House to talk about swearing an oath to the King or praying. However, there is something that we have in common, and I am sure that the …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for giving me another opportunity to provide a few details. We supported Bill C‑234 because we understand that farmers in other provinces need support to help them make the transition and therefore be exempt from the carbon tax for eight years. However, this does not apply in Quebec because there is no carbon tax, so Quebec farmers will not see a carbon tax on t…
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