Dominique Vien

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have lost touch with reality. Quebeckers' pockets are empty. In Bellechasse, a young mother without child care services is forced to stay home, living on a fraction of her income, and leaving her partner to pay all the bills. Paying $1,200 in rent along with groceries, gas and baby care essentials is becoming a major headache for them. Will the Liberals adopt our Conservative economic action plan so that this young mother can finally afford to meet her family's needs?

Sadly, Mr. Speaker, that is not working. Families are stretched to the limit. Parents are now skipping meals so their kids can eat. This all because of the government's taxes and out-of-control spending, which are driving up the cost of living. We have identified $150 billion that could be saved by cutting red tape. This could give nearly $10,000 back to every family. Once again, will the Liberals adopt our Conservative economic action plan so that these parents can finally afford to put food on the table for their families?

Mr. Speaker, my colleague has been very clear. What we want on this side of the House is to leave money in Canadians' pockets. The plan the Conservatives are proposing involves savings of $150 billion. That is $10,000 per family. How do we do that? It is by cutting down on red tape and consultants. Given the soaring cost of living, will the Liberal government finally scrap the industrial carbon tax and adopt our Conservative economic action plan?

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, entitled “Confronting Antifeminist Ideologies in Canada”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Mr. Speaker, as we mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day today, the Liberal government is standing in the way of organizations that support seniors. The new rules for the New Horizons for Seniors program are forcing volunteer groups to get a business number from the Canada Revenue Agency. This process can take months and also requires them to navigate an online application system. These organizations want to help seniors, not fight Ottawa's bureaucracy. Is the government going to back down on these bureaucratic reforms? Yes, we know the people in our ridings.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are totally out of touch, but I want to raise a different topic. Last week, the President of the Treasury Board was unable to answer a simple question from my colleague. That embarrassed his government and, according to La Presse, angered his fellow Liberal MPs. He has had all weekend to recover and find the right page in his briefing book. Does he believe he still has the Prime Minister's confidence? I will give him a few seconds to find the answer in his briefing book.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, a United Way survey confirms that this government is a disaster, as 60% of Canadians are feeling financial anxiety and 22% of Canadians have personally experienced poverty, compared to 19% last year. Under this Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession, and it is because of this government's mismanagement. We have said it before and we will say it again. When will the Prime Minister finally reverse his costly policies so Canadians can finally get ahead financially?

Mr. Speaker, under this Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession. This comes as no surprise. We have experienced three out of four quarters of negative growth. We are seeing a record decline in productivity. The public finance watchdog confirms that there is a 99% probability that the government will fall short of its fiscal anchor. Despite repeated warnings from the banks, this government continues to run up the debt. It will borrow $72 billion this year. Will the Prime Minister finally stop denying the obvious and admit to Canadians that our economy is indeed in a recession?

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise, as we were not sure I would have enough time. I would like to thank my two colleagues from the Bloc Québécois, who spoke so eloquently, as well as my colleague from King—Vaughan, who gave a really poignant speech about seniors. She is able to do so because she travels around many ridings. As the Conservative Party of Canada's critic for seniors, she is well aware of everything to do with seniors and what affects them, especially when it comes to the cost of living. I think that, in the House, we all have an opportunity in front of us. As members of Parliament, we have an opportunity to use our power to correct a situation that is hurting seniors aged 65 and over. I hope we all have enough dignity and foresight to show compassion and take action. The problem is very simple. In 2021, the Liberal government decided to take an important step, make a meaningful gesture, by increasing the pensions of seniors aged 75 and older by 10%. However, it stopped halfway. The government omitted a significant portion of seniors from its approach, namely people aged 65 to 74. They were completely excluded from this increase. That created inequity and an unusual situation. As parliamentarians, as people who meet with seniors all the time, we cannot allow this situation to continue. We absolutely must use this opportunity to fix this. Our Bloc Québécois colleagues tried to do so once. Everyone here agreed, except the Liberals. The bill died on the Order Paper because it required a royal recommendation, since it involved spending. My colleague worked tirelessly to reintroduce a bill. Since we are so stubborn, we decided to support it once again. We are giving our colleagues on the government side an opportunity to take action and get it right. Seniors are not asking for a handout. These are people who have worked hard all their lives, who have contributed to society and who, at age 65, need an income, especially during these very difficult times when the cost of living has skyrocketed to levels not seen in 40 years. While their fixed incomes remain the same, the cost of living continues to add to their headaches. Between paying for food, medication and housing, seniors can no longer make ends meet. What the bill says is that we will be fair and fix the situation. Someone somewhere made a mistake, and we are going to fix it. We will allow seniors aged 65 to 74 to receive the same increase, an increase of 10%, as was granted to seniors aged 75 and over in 2021. Another interesting approach in the bill is that it gives seniors who want to continue working the opportunity to do so without being penalized because their income is too high. That plays a role in determining the amount they can receive under the GIS. The bill tabled by Mrs. DeBellefeuille proposes an increase from $5,000 to $6,5000 to accurately reflect the situation of many seniors who decide to work. Some work because they have to in order to make ends meet. Others do so to keep up their spirits and stay in good health. Still, it is not right for the government to creep up from behind and take their money. I congratulate my colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women: the fourth report, entitled “Preventing Violence Against Women: Criminal Code Peace Bonds, Bail and Sentencing Reforms in Canada”, and the fifth report, entitled “Main Estimates 2026‑27: Votes 1 and 5 under Department for Women and Gender Equality”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to the fourth report.

Mr. Speaker, food insecurity is a very real problem. In my region of Chaudière–Appalaches, demand is skyrocketing. One food aid organization has seen a 66% surge in visitors in just three years. The situation is so critical that some organizations will soon have to tighten up their eligibility criteria and, unfortunately, turn away families and requests for help. As we know, the increase in demand is caused by this government's costly policies. When will the Liberal Prime Minister finally help Canadians pay their bills and feed their families properly?

Mr. Speaker, this government's housing and inflation crisis is tearing families apart. Rents have jumped 3.6% in one year. Since 2021, there has been a 31% increase. Today, food insecurity is so severe that some Canadians have to spend 120% of their income just to put food on the table or pay for housing. When is this Liberal government going to put an end to its costly, out-of-control budgets and finally take the cost-of-living crisis seriously? Now would be best.

moved that Bill S-242, An Act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, be read the first time. Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to rise in the House to introduce Bill S-242, an act respecting national action for the prevention of intimate partner violence, also known as Georgina's Law. This is an initiative by our colleague Senator Fabian Manning, who decided to take action after meeting with Georgina McGrath, a survivor of domestic violence. This bill proposes that the government pursue, on a permanent basis, national action to combat violence against women and intimate partner violence, while also—and this is important to emphasize—requiring accountability for its performance. Here are some statistics. In Quebec, there have already been 10 femicides since January alone. Across Canada, a woman or girl is killed every 48 hours in an act of gender-based violence. There has been a 76% increase in sexual assault in Canada. We are facing a national crisis affecting women. Bill S-242 will serve as the guiding principle that brings together every province, every territory, and every community so that everyone can mobilize, unite, and overcome this challenge. Bill S-242 is another tool in our arsenal for protecting women. (Motion deemed adopted and bill read the first time)

Mr. Speaker, while Quebeckers are cutting back on their groceries to make ends meet, we found out that the Prime Minister spent a cool $524,000 on food aboard his plane. How can the Prime Minister still look Canadians in the eye and talk to them about inflation when he spends the equivalent of several years of a family's wages on a single flight, while adding to their grocery bills with his fuel tax?

Mr. Speaker, the truth is that the Liberal government is collecting record taxes on gas and profiting from oil revenues. However, rather than easing the pressure on Canadians' wallets, that money seems to be disappearing into the pockets of Liberal insiders. When will the Prime Minister stop treating the national budget like a credit card with no limit?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are carrying on with their decade of costly budgets, which, of course, are being charged to the credit card. This Prime Minister has doubled the deficit left by former Prime Minister Trudeau. Who would have thought? The Globe and Mail condemns this upside-down land where this government's spending spree is considered prudent. The Liberals are spending more, but Canadians have less. When will the Prime Minister put an end to his costly budgets so that Canadians can make ends meet?

Mr. Speaker, it is the way they have chosen to do it that is not right. The Prime Minister is following the same borrowing policies as his predecessor. Economists are sounding the alarm. Without measures to boost productivity, the weight of the debt relative to the economy will rise to a breaking point. We already have the worst food inflation in the G7. Why are the Liberals stubbornly following this path that is forcing Canadians to pay more for gas, groceries and housing?

Mr. Speaker, today I want to pay tribute to Michel Garant, a Lévis resident originally from Saint‑Lazare‑de‑Bellechasse who died much too soon on March 20 at the age of 68. As a building contractor, he made his mark by delivering superior workmanship, particularly while contributing to the restoration of heritage buildings across Quebec. Following an accident in 2004 that left him a paraplegic, Mr. Garant showed remarkable resilience. He became actively involved in his community as a paracyclist, completing a cross-Canada tour to help the organization Fondation MIRA and launching the Pédal-Don fundraising initiative. Through his involvement with the Association des personnes handicapées de Bellechasse, he became an inspiration to many. He was also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He leaves an incredible legacy. I offer my sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, Le Journal de Montréal reported that over half of Quebeckers aged 50 and over are worried about running out of money during their retirement. That is what they said. Johanne Boissonnault said that after working her entire life, she now has to get by on $1,960 a month. As we all know, that is not enough to live with dignity anymore. While the Prime Minister keeps using our credit card to ramp up his deficits, our seniors are paying the price, especially at the grocery store. When will the Prime Minister put an end to his irresponsible budgets so that Canadians can make ends meet?

Mr. Speaker, all we are seeing at this point is Liberal smoke and mirrors. The Prime Minister is offering nothing more than peanuts. Canadians will save just 10¢ a litre, while he is going to rake in nearly $10 billion, taken from Canadians' pockets. Why will the government not implement the Conservative Party's plan to eliminate the GST on gasoline and diesel, the industrial carbon tax and the fuel standard? It would be so simple. Plus, it would help people.