Élisabeth Brière

Madam Speaker, no one can predict what the price of gas will be one month, three months or six months from now. When the conflict in Iran ends, the expectation is that gas prices will go down. Why does my colleague not want to help Canadians now, when they really need it, instead of proposing a longer-term measure that will cost taxpayers a lot of money?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister of Transport for his speech on Bill C‑39. I would like to ask him the following question: What reassurance can the government offer to people who have concerns about the right to strike, and how can it explain to them that this bill actually aims to make it easier for unions and workers to reach agreements?

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for his excellent speech. He is obviously very proud of his beautiful region of Quebec City. In August, the government awarded a contract worth over $11 billion to the Davie shipyard to build six new icebreakers. I would like my colleague to tell us how such a contract, which is good for our workers and our suppliers, fits into Bill C-39.

Mr. Speaker, as Parliament reconvenes, I wish you and all members a productive session. I also want to pay tribute to someone who made a profound impact on Sherbrooke. Mural artist Serge Malenfant passed away on July 11. He was a happy, audacious and dedicated man whom I had the pleasure of knowing personally. He was one of Sherbrooke's most talented artists and he had a deep love for our city. He showed that love by making Sherbrooke's walls his canvas. His trompe-l'oeil murals adorn the streets of Sherbrooke and make the downtown into a real open-air art gallery. Some of these unique works of art tell the story of our region, while others disguise the doors of elevators in seniors' care facilities to prevent residents from wandering off. This friend of the arts has left behind much more than just murals. He left a part of himself in our city. I want to express my deepest condolences to his wife, Julie, and to his family and friends. Serge Malenfant helped make Sherbrooke a city that leaves a lasting impression, and his work will continue to do just that for a long time to come.

Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Sophie Faucher, a highly talented actress and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful voices on Quebec's cultural scene. Whether on stage, on screen or behind a microphone, Sophie Faucher left her mark on several generations, be it through her elegance, her passion and fire or her ability to light up a room. Throughout an exceptional career spanning nearly five decades, she brought to life memorable characters, including the incomparable Crystale Bouvier-Montgomery in Le cœur a ses raisons. Audiences will also remember her uniquely husky voice as she sat in heaven, dressed as an angel, bagel in hand, making us smile as she complained about messy crumbs. Her recent moving portrayal of opera singer Maria Callas, as well as that of her idol Frida Kahlo in the play La Casa Azul, directed by her friend Robert Lepage, rank among the defining roles of her career. Quebec has lost an exceptional artist, but her immense contribution to our culture will leave a lasting mark on our collective memory.