Claude Guay

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight the remarkable work done by Garde-manger pour tous, La Cantine pour tous, Toujours ensemble and the Breakfast Club in the fight against food insecurity in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. Thanks to their engagement, thousands of children have access to nutritious meals and snacks every day. In my riding, more than 44,500 meals were served in just one year across four schools, thanks to Garde-manger pour tous. Too many families are experiencing food insecurity. No child should have to go to school on an empty stomach. A nutritious meal means a better chance to learn, thrive and succeed. I am proud that our government has made the national school food program permanent, allowing 400,000 children across the country to benefit. Food security also matters at school.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising that point. It is unacceptable that these documents were not provided in French. We agree that Quebeckers must be able to understand and participate in discussions on projects that could affect their communities. We have made it clear to Canadian Nuclear Laboratories that it must support engagement, discussion and consultation in both official languages.

Mr. Speaker, our colleagues have short memories, and I am not convinced they read the news. They seem to have forgotten that we announced the Contrecoeur expansion of the port of Montreal, which will create 8,000 direct and indirect jobs and attract $1.2 billion in investment. The Nouveau Monde Graphite mine in Matawinie will create 1,000 new jobs and attract $1.2 billion in investment. Did they also miss the news about the new Indonesian aircraft that are to be built at Bombardier in Quebec, creating thousands of additional jobs in the aerospace sector? We are going to—

Mr. Speaker, FCC is an independent Crown corporation and operates at arm's length. With that said, what I can say is that farmers and agriculture stakeholders around the country appreciate the good work that is done by FCC. We are working hard to grow the agriculture sector and the strongest economy in the G7, and FCC is an important part of our effort.

Mr. Speaker, we are spending less to invest more. We are maintaining our presence in every single province and remain the largest agricultural researcher in the country. By streamlining research and development, we can build a strong, collaborative science system that supports producer-strengthened competitiveness and positions Canadian agriculture for long-term success. That is what we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is only capable of saying no, and it certainly cannot walk and chew gum at the same time. We can fight climate change while protecting our economy and developing our natural resources. That is what we are doing here in Canada, and we are doing so responsibly.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want us to build a stronger, more independent and more resilient economy in partnership with the provinces, territories and indigenous peoples. The Conservatives are ignoring everything going on around the world and in geopolitics. They are disparaging Canada. We will continue to build Canada strong. Projects like Nouveau Monde Graphite, the port of Contrecoeur, the Alto train and many others are proof of that. However, the Conservatives have voted against every measure aiming to build Canada strong.

Mr. Speaker, we are in a trade war, something the Leader of the Opposition conveniently forgets or does not forget, depending on how it serves him. That is why today, with the lumber tariffs remaining unjustified and unfair to workers, businesses and communities, we have announced enhanced BDC loans, two new direct lending facilities, $400 million to regional development agencies and billions of dollars to support our forestry projects across Canada. We are going to continue to work with provinces and territories—

Mr. Speaker, today, over 20 residents from my community of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun rose early, packed into a tour bus and came to our nation's capital to see their democracy at work. They have toured the Parliament, they have experienced a rich and evolving history and they will watch the important discussion that we have in this place this afternoon. Like so many others across Canada, my constituents are small business owners and community leaders, actively involved in community organizations that they lead with pride and passion. Some have been here for generations; others are just beginning their journey. Together, they embody our country's diversity, which is its richness, its strength and its identity. I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Bienvenue à l'immigrant, CARD, Association Calabrese, the Maison d'Entraide St-Paul et Émard and Association Messinese for all the work they do for our community.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the members for the opportunity to speak to Bill C-264, an act to repeal certain restrictions on shipping. If the hon. members listen carefully to my speech, they may find answers to some of the questions they have raised today. As proposed, the bill seeks to repeal the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act even though there are no project proposals on the table that even require it to be amended. This means that all the large-tonnage oil tanker bans and legal requirements currently in force on the north coast of British Columbia would no longer apply, nor would the environmental protection measures that this legislation supports. Let me be clear: Canada's oceans are a source of pride for Canadians and are of national importance. Our oceans are the cornerstones of our livelihoods and our sovereignty, and protecting them is essential to our economic security and Canada's future. Canada's sovereignty is strengthened when our waters are safe, our ecosystems are protected, our communities are supported and our shipping industry is resilient. Canada has one of the most stringent marine safety regimes in the world and enforces strict rules on safety, the environment and spill response. We must ensure that any changes to this regime are subject to thorough review and consultation, and that any actions taken are in the public interest of all Canadians. The act, which received royal assent in 2019, prohibits vessels carrying more than 12,500 metric tons of crude oil or persistent oil products as cargo from stopping, loading or unloading at ports or marine installations within the moratorium area. The protected area extends from the Canada-U.S. border in the north to the tip of British Columbia across from the northern tip of Vancouver Island. It includes Haida Gwaii and protects the Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait. The act complements the voluntary tanker exclusion zone, which has been in place since 1985. The scope of the act is carefully defined. Shipments of less than 12,500 tons are permitted in order to ensure that communities and industry in the north coast receive essential supplies, particularly home heating oil and other oil products. The Oil Tanker Moratorium Act also does not apply to the transportation of non-persistent oils such as gasoline, naphtha, kerosene and propane, nor to liquefied natural gas or other alternative fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia and methane, which dissipate quickly in the event of a spill. We all know that the global economy is undergoing significant disruption and that the government is working to diversify our trade relationships and to attract significant investment to build a stronger, more sustainable and more resilient economy. The government is investing in trade-enabling transportation infrastructure and supply chain capacity, as well as working to promote nation-building projects, particularly those that connect our economy and diversify our trade. As we know, last November, Canada and Alberta signed a memorandum of understanding in the energy sector, which provided that amendments to the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act could be considered if necessary. This does not mean that we are repealing the act, but rather that we recognize the importance of a balanced approach that allows for amendments to the act in the context of a specific project, where the risks, opportunities and mitigation measures specific to that project could be taken into account. Just as the provisions of the act were carefully considered, any amendments to it must also be carefully considered to ensure that we support economic growth while also protecting our environment. Any amendments to the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act should be considered within the context of a specific project proposal that allows for a clear assessment. This would enable us to take a strategic approach to potential amendments, so as to mitigate risks while continuing to protect the environment. Canada has not chosen between economic growth and prosperity on one hand and environmental protection on the other. We have pursued both of these objectives simultaneously, and we must continue to do so. We must continue to welcome economic proposals that boost national productivity and market access. However, we must also demand credible plans to protect ecosystems, partnerships with indigenous rights holders and the continued existence of environmental protection measures in the most sensitive areas. If a proposal affecting the area covered by the moratorium is put before us, we will assess it thoroughly and transparently and, if necessary, carefully consider how to adapt the legislation. Until then, we do not support amending or repealing the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act. I urge the hon. members of the House to oppose Bill C-264 and to support our environmental protection measures.

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask my colleague, the parliamentary secretary, if, when she speaks to her constituents in her riding, they fully understand the argument we constantly hear from the Conservatives about the so-called Liberal Party credit card. I get the feeling that Canadians understand that we need to invest during this difficult time. We are going through a tariff war. Now is the time to take advantage of the fact that we are in the best economic position to be able to invest in our country. What is she hearing from her constituents?

Mr. Speaker, our friends in the Bloc Québécois do not know the difference between the words “and” and “or”. We have made it clear that we will be an energy superpower in both conventional and clean energy. That is what we are doing, and it is for all of Canada and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we have been clear. Our goal is to catalyze half a trillion dollars in private sector investment. The Major Projects Office plays an important role in that. Alberta has indicated that it will submit a proposal by July 1. We will evaluate it against the criteria set out in the Building Canada Act. According to the memorandum of understanding, the federal government is willing to utilize Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation to help backstop indigenous co-ownership if necessary.

Madam Speaker, to grow our economy and make Canada more resilient, we must diversify our exports. That is why our trade diversification strategy aims to double exports to countries other than the U.S. within 10 years. Canada's energy sector, including Alberta, has a significant role to play. The percentage of oil shipped via the Trans Mountain pipeline destined for Asia increased from 39% to 62%.

Mr. Speaker, my dear Montreal Canadiens, the second-youngest team in the National Hockey League, are competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs following an exciting season. It brings back memories of my childhood in Montreal, when I could watch the Canadiens practise at the Verdun Auditorium, standing just a few feet from the legends that lit up the Forum and our TV set. We know their names: Dryden, Savard, Robinson, Lapointe, Lafleur, Lemaire, Shutt, Gainey, Cournoyer. During those same years, when I was in high school, just a stone's throw from the old Forum, we experienced three incredible Stanley Cups. Three times I was in detention, smiling, for having skipped school to attend the Stanley Cup parade. We have just as much pride in today's young Habs. I now summon all the ghosts of the old Montreal Forum, with all the fans from LaSalle—Émard—Verdun and across the country, to shout, “Go Habs, go”.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure who is out of touch with reality. When we have the best economic position in the G7, when we are in the midst of a tariff crisis and when we are dealing with all the issues around affordability, now is the time to invest in Canadians. It is time to help our young people get good jobs in the future and implement major projects that they can work on.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians voted to strengthen our economy and develop our natural resources while also fighting climate change. We are supporting innovation, we are strengthening our competitiveness and we are making billions of dollars in new investments to achieve net zero. We are going to turn Canada into a clean and conventional energy superpower while reducing our emissions at the same time.

Mr. Speaker, I sit on the natural resources committee with the hon. member. She knows too well how complicated it is to do a project like the Ring of Fire, which is actually multiple projects. We are working with the Government of Ontario. We have already started to work with them on the road to access the Ring of Fire, because it requires major infrastructure to get to the Ring of Fire. She should understand that.

Mr. Speaker, I found it very interesting that the member talks about benefits for the first nations when what the Conservatives would like us to do is bulldoze and ignore the constitutional rights of the first nations. I do not understand what they are saying. Should we help them, or follow the rules?