Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, as we know, the NDP is a centralizing party. That is not a fault per se, but we do not believe it is a good thing to be a centralizer in Canada. However, the NDP is a centralizer, so the new NDP-Liberal government will be one too. That will lead to fights with the provinces. We really do not need that. My question is for the government member, and I do not mean the “minister member” f…
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Mr. Speaker, this morning, Canadian families have a serious problem. This morning, Canadians woke up to the news that the price of gas is going up dramatically. Back home in my riding in Quebec City, gas is $1.85 a litre. It is $2 in British Columbia, and it keeps going up. There is one thing the government can do to at least ease the burden for Canadians. Can the government commit to not increasi…
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Mr. Speaker, what is rebounding this morning is not what the member just talked about, but the price of gas that all Canadians are facing this morning. I am sorry, but an increase of 40 cents in one month is not acceptable where I come from. The government continues to hide behind the numbers, whereas Canadians have to live with the reality every day. Transportation affects all sectors of the econ…
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Mr. Speaker, the question is really quite simple. This Liberal government plans to increase taxes on April 1. We are not talking about what is going on in the U.S. or about the inflation rate or the recovery or real GDP or who knows what. The reality is that taxes will increase on April 1. The reality is that the price of gas has gone up 40¢ to 50¢ in the past month. Could the government at least …
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Madam Speaker, I would like to inform the House that I will be sharing my time with the member for Thornhill. On Thursday, February 24, moments after Vladimir Putin's deadly, bloody and unlawful invasion of Ukraine, the Canadian Army issued a statement announcing that a contingent of 120 soldiers from Valcartier's 5e Régiment d'Artillerie Légère would be deployed to Latvia within 30 days to suppor…
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Madam Speaker, I welcome the comments of my colleague from Winnipeg North. I know he is, as is everybody in the House, very supportive of any action in this struggle to fight Putin's aggression. We are all in solidarity. We have all shown solidarity toward the Ukrainian people here in Canada, but first and foremost toward those who are suffering under this attack. This motion is not only about the…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Thérèse-De Blainville for her question. They are not mutually exclusive. As the member pointed out, there are three points in our motion. Everyone agrees with the first two. The third, however, is a global issue, a matter of global energy security, and we would be remiss if we overlooked that. Canada has a concrete opportunity to help these people, and we a…
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Madam Speaker, as long as we need energy, I will always fight for Canadian energy. It is not only me asking that. We have seen the Chancellor of Germany asking for support from elsewhere. We have seen the Democratic President of the United States asking to have more people working on that. We have seen the l'Union européenne asking to have partenariat with other countries. Canada is the fifth-larg…
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Mr. Speaker, today's debate is a very serious one. Canadians want to shed light on the events that took place in February after the government did nothing for three weeks. This committee will shed light on this matter. This is supposed to be a non-partisan parliamentary committee. What is unfortunate is that the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons came out swinging in his speech, accu…
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Mr. Speaker, as long as we need oil and natural gas, we on this side of the House will always stand up for this Canadian energy sector. Over the past 20 years, Canadians have purchased $13 billion worth of Russian oil from Putin. I am sorry, but we do not need that. Meanwhile, the government's goal is to slowly eliminate Canada's energy potential. Why, with its ideologically narrow-minded and clos…
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Mr. Speaker, it became clear this weekend that Canada did not need emergency measures to resolve the situation in Ottawa. Thousands of police officers from across Canada joined forces to resolve a specific situation. This is not the first time that has happened. Nevertheless, this government still wants to impose the Emergencies Act, which has no place in this context, in our view. The border cros…
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Mr. Speaker, back home in Quebec City we had protests over two weekends. We did not need the Emergencies Act. Instead, we saw the government and the police show leadership, the kind of leadership that has been sorely lacking in Ottawa in recent weeks. Seven Canadian premiers, including the Premier of Quebec, want nothing to do with this act, but the government still wants to impose this extreme pi…
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Mr. Speaker, unlike the Liberal government, we never considered invoking the extreme measures act. The thought never even crossed our minds. I would like to once again remind the member that this kind of dubious association is inappropriate, especially in such a delicate situation with security implications. Let us do our best to set partisanship aside, even though we may sometimes be tempted to g…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Abitibi—Témiscamingue for his speech. I would also like to thank the member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, who spoke earlier. My colleagues did a great job of contextualizing the big difference between the events of 1970 and the 1988 act invoked by this government. This act, which was drafted and passed by Brian Mulroney's Progre…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for talking about his personal experiences throughout his life. First and foremost, we are all human, and we have lived through certain situations. I appreciate the fact that he raised those issues. My question is quite simple. During 17 days, nothing was done by the government. Even on February 11, the Prime Minister said that laws could be applied to solv…
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Mr. Speaker, as we all know, Canada is grappling with a major crisis that is affecting all Canadian families. This is the first time in over 30 years that inflation has hit 5.1%. This affects all Canadian families but, unfortunately, we are not here this evening to talk about something that is having a direct impact on all Canadian families. We are here to talk about an act this government wants t…
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Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe that again a member from the government, from the Liberal Party, raises the famous story about the swastika. I will never accept any comment of that style from anybody in the House of Commons because everybody knows that all parliamentarians here, whatever they defend as a party, will never defend that. The problem is that the Prime Minister—my Prime Minister, our Pri…
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Mr. Speaker, I am wondering whether my hon. colleague, my neighbour from the Quebec City area, is a lawyer. I believe that many people have read the Criminal Code, the Civil Code and all of the laws that apply in Canada so as to be able to point out the following facts and reality: There is currently no need to use this act, which was passed in 1988 and has never been used. As my Bloc Québécois co…
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Mr. Speaker, I know my hon. colleague is very passionate when we talk about fairness in politics. This is what we ought to do right now. When there is a crisis, I know it is not very easy, especially for me, to put aside any partisanship. However, folks, what we have to address today right now is a health crisis. If we want to work together, we need to put aside our partisanship and especially not…
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Mr. Speaker, three weeks ago, we were talking about inflation, and the Minister of Finance told me that there was no problem because it was a global problem and that the IMF said that Canada was fine and that the GDP was going up. How convincing. What are we seeing now? Inflation continues to rise and is at 5.1%. Beef is up 12%; gas is up 30%; housing is up 6%. Those are things Canadians know for …
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Mr. Speaker, for 17 days, the Prime Minister did not lift a finger to help with what was happening here in Ottawa. At one point, he insulted those who were not listening to him and who did not share his point of view. As a result, yesterday, the Prime Minister invoked a law that has not been used in 50 years. He said that he consulted the premiers. That is not true. He actually just informed the p…
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Mr. Speaker, over the past few days, Canadians have all seen situations improve without the need for the Emergencies Act. It happened in Ontario and in Alberta, and it could have happened here in Ottawa. Instead, the Prime Minister chose to invoke an act that has not been used in 50 years. He continues to stigmatize, divide and insult people who disagree with him, instead of trying to find a compr…
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Madam Speaker, it is always nice to rise and speak in the House, but I would rather be debating something other than a gag order. What is happening once again this morning is that the government has decided to shut down debate on a bill that will cost billions of dollars. Let us be very clear. On this side of the House, we are in favour of purchasing rapid tests, and I think it is safe to say that…
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Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to listen to the member for Winnipeg North and to debate with him. Again, I totally disagree with what the member has said, especially with the motion today. First, let me be clear. Do not get me wrong. We do support rapid tests. I know what I am talking about, because for the last year and a half here in the House of Commons, we have been asking to have rapid …
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Madam Speaker, it is always a pleasure to hear from my colleague for Kingston and the Islands. He talked a lot about what our members said, and that is fine. Those quotes are debatable if put into context. I want to know what he thinks of the following quotes: I can't help but notice with regret that both the tone and the policies of my government have changed drastically since the last election c…
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to participate in this debate, although I would have preferred to speak about other matters that are impacting Canadians, such as the runaway inflation that is affecting all Canadian families. However, as a result of this government's complacency, today we have to discuss a motion seeking to muzzle MPs on a matter that concerns us all. Let us look at the elements o…
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Madam Speaker, let me pay my respects to my hon. colleague for the quality of his French. Because his question was in perfect French, I will answer in French. First of all, I want to point out that any conversations held amongst the leaders about the timing of the debates are private conversations. However, since my colleague from Barrie—Innisfil, the House leader of the official opposition, talke…
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Madam Speaker, I want to pay my respects to my colleague from Manitoba, who asked a clear question in perfect French. I will answer the question in French. That is exactly the type of debate we should be having in the parliamentary committees. The NDP member from Manitoba raised the issue of Bill C‑8 and that is exactly it, because in committee we can propose amendments, make changes, gauge respon…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, let us be proud of all forms of Canadian energy and their history. On February 13, 1947, 75 years ago this Sunday, Leduc No. 1 struck oil for the first time. After 133 unsuccessful attempts, the famous Vern “Dry Hole” Hunter finally found what he was looking for. This discovery was the launch of the greatest energetic and economic development in Canadian history. This discovery bene…
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Mr. Speaker, here is an indisputable fact: Yesterday, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem issued a warning that, unfortunately, directly affects all Canadian families. He said that there is certainly uncertainty about interest rates before they can return to normal levels. It is not just anyone saying this, it is the Governor of the Bank of Canada who is issuing a warning. The best way to control…
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Mr. Speaker, this is our first Thursday back in Parliament and I am pleased to ask the traditional Thursday question. Speaking about the week, this week has been a very busy one. Canadians recognize we have tough discussions sometimes in the House of Commons, and sometimes very harsh debates, but I am very pleased that we show respect to each other. This week especially, Canadians have seen how mu…
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Mr. Speaker, the least we can say is that COVID-19 is the excuse that the Prime Minister uses for everything. However, there is one person who is looking at the figures very objectively, and that is the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In his recent report, the Parliamentary Budget Officer stated that if the government continues its unbridled spending spree, it will have a direct effect on inflation.…
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Mr. Speaker, reality is sinking in for all Canadian families, from the most vulnerable to the wealthiest. Inflation has a real, direct impact on grocery bills for the most vulnerable families. Their grocery bills are now $1,000 higher than they were last year because of the 4.8% rate of inflation. Inflation has not been this high in 30 years. The government claims that this is no big deal and that…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to participate in today's debate. However, I want to raise a very serious concern about what we call a question of privilege. I am rising on a question of privilege regarding the premature disclosure of the content of Bill C-10, an act respecting certain measures related to COVID-19, by the Prime Minister himself while it was on notice and before it was introduced an…
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Mr. Speaker, all Canadian families are struggling to keep up with the ever-increasing cost of living. Canadians have not seen 4.8% inflation in 30 years. The Parliamentary Budget Officer does not hold back in his most recent report. He says that the government's plan to spend $100 billion on economic stimulus is having the exact opposite effect. Not only will this spending not help the economy, bu…
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Mr. Speaker, after question period, I wonder if the Deputy Prime Minister would come with me to a mall or grocery store here in Gatineau and tell people who are paying 8% more for their groceries that the GDP has just gone up by 0.8% and everything is fine. Or will the Deputy Prime Minister speak directly to Canadians and tell them we are going to tackle inflation?
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Mr. Speaker, again, I would urge the Deputy Prime Minister to go to the IGA in Gatineau and tell Madame Tremblay not to worry because the IMF says all is well in Canada. Like all other Canadians across the country, Madame Tremblay is paying more for her groceries. That is what is having a direct impact on Canadians. Why is the Deputy Prime Minister looking down on Canadian families who are actuall…
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With regard to delayed federally funded infrastructure projects in Quebec: what are the details of all projects which have yet to be completed, and have had their original expected completion date delayed by more than six months, including, for each, (i) the project location, (ii) the project description, (iii) the original expected completion date, (iv) the revised expected completion date, (v) t…
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Mr. Speaker, the events taking place right now at the Russia-Ukraine border are disturbing to all Canadians who care about world peace. Unfortunately, Canada's reputation has been tarnished. In today's edition of La Presse, a diplomat posted abroad was extremely critical of the Canadian government's actions. She described its approach as amateurish, bordering on complacent, and said it is not taki…
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Mr. Speaker, that is just more talk. What Ukrainians want is real, concrete action. According to La Presse, the diplomat who is currently working abroad for Canada said that the government is relying more on its illusory soft power, an approach based almost exclusively on image and communications rather than real action. The diplomat said that Canada continues to lecture everyone by boasting about…
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Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. I do recognize that sometimes there can be some heckling from one side. However, in this specific situation, and let me be very serious, we are talking about a really serious issue. We are talking about Islamophobia and everybody was listening carefully. What I am talking about is coming from the government side. Maybe the Liberals regret their choice, but they made i…
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Mr. Speaker, we all recognize that a lot of people are now on the hybrid system. We respect that and there is no problem with it. However, there is a problem when a minister or anyone else does not have their headset. Time is running out. The Minister of Veterans Affairs spoke for 14 seconds before he finally recognized that he did not have his headset on correctly. Then, my hon. counterpart, whom…
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Mr. Speaker, it seems likely that we will all soon be returning to our ridings to continue to work very hard on behalf of all Canadians and our constituents. This gives me the opportunity to thank everybody who works for the best democratic system in the world, our parliamentary system. Let me be clear: We cannot fight issues without the support of everybody here, especially those who work for the…
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Mr. Speaker, that is right. If the Liberals do the exact same thing they did with steel, aluminum and softwood lumber, Canada's auto workers run the risk of losing well-paying jobs, because the government talks a good game but takes no action. Why is the minister not at the U.S. Congress right now, working directly with U.S. senators and representatives to convince them that protecting Canada's in…
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Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows, Canada and the United States have had an integrated automotive industry for 60 years. Everyone also knows that electrification is the future of the industry, in light of the billions of dollars being invested by private businesses. Now President Biden's tax credit is threatening jobs in Canada. What is the Liberal government doing? It is doing absolutely nothing. Wh…
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Mr. Speaker, while Canadian families are still struggling with the effects of “Justinflation”, more bad news is on the way. Payroll taxes like EI and pension plans are going up again on January 1. This is a direct attack on both SMEs and workers. Anyone who earns $55,000 or more a year will have to pay more. We need this like we need a hole in the head. Could the government give businesses and wor…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that the pandemic is still taking a toll on our Canadian economy. Currently, the hardest-hit sector is tourism and hospitality, which employs 1.8 million Canadians. On Friday, the Conservatives proposed that Bill C‑2 be split into two bills, to directly address the problem in the tourism and hospitality industry. Is the government prepared to work with us to ensure that we can…
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Mr. Speaker, I have two points of order that I can do at the same time. I sincerely thank and congratulate everyone who works on facilitating the debates here and ensuring that the message gets across. Unfortunately, we are experiencing problems with the interpretation on a regular basis, almost every day. I know that this is no one's fault, but it is a nuisance for francophones in particular, sin…
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Madam Speaker, when the price of fruit goes up 5%, the price of vegetables goes up 7%, and the price of dairy products goes up 8%, it is time to take concrete measures to control inflation. The first thing that a responsible government should do is at least control spending, because if it does nothing, all Canadian families will pay a steep price. “Just inflation” is making it impossible for famil…
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Madam Speaker, in two weeks, Canadians will be celebrating Christmas, but it might not be as merry as some families would have liked. Why? It is because the number one concern of all Canadian families right now is the ever-increasing cost of living. We have been talking about it here for days and days, even weeks. Yesterday, we finally got the numbers. We learned from Canada's Food Price Report th…
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