Parliamentary Speeches
167 speeches by Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault — Page 1 of 4
Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her remarks and acknowledge her expertise and work on cybersecurity issues. Cybersecurity is a matter of national security, and our government has a responsibility to protect Canadians from all the growing cyber-threats. With Bill C-8, we are taking concrete steps to protect our telecommunications infrastructure and other critical sectors. I woul…
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Mr. Speaker, accelerating housing construction is key to improving affordability. That is why Build Canada Homes is working with partners across the country to launch new projects. Last week, I had the great pleasure of participating in an announcement with my colleagues to deliver some very good news to New Brunswickers. Can the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure update the House on this rece…
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Mr. Speaker, the figures speak for themselves. Three of the five best years on record for housing starts in Canada have been within the last five years, in 2025, 2022 and 2021. The other two years were in the 1970s. What do these historic peaks have in common? Liberal governments were in power in Ottawa. However, the Conservatives' record from their most recent stint in power is far less impressiv…
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Mr. Speaker, through a joint collaboration table, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec agreed to work together to fund affordable housing projects aligned with their shared priorities. On this side of the House, I am pleased to sit with more than 40 Liberal MPs from Quebec who understand the importance of working together to address housing needs. In light of this formalized colla…
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Mr. Speaker, cancer affects nearly every family in Canada. I myself lost my wife Stéphanie at the age of 34 to this disease. Stéphanie firmly believed in the importance of research to advance treatment for this disease and support life-saving progress. In Canada, it is estimated that about four in 10 cancer cases could be avoided with better risk reduction and prevention measures. Can the minister…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favour of Bill C‑221. This bill would ensure that victims of crime are informed about the offender's parole eligibility dates, including an explanation of how those dates were determined. The bill would require the Correctional Service of Canada and the Parole Board of Canada to explain to victims how parole eligibility, review and release dates are determined…
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Mr. Speaker, the opposition members like to claim that our country is broken. Not only is that in poor taste, but it is completely untrue, because Canada has everything the world covets: abundant natural resources, a highly skilled workforce and strong, diverse trade agreements. On this side of the House, we believe in Canada, and we believe in our Canadian businesses and workers. I would like to …
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley. Our objective with budget 2025 is clear: We want to make Canada's economy stronger and more resilient. The first step is to work on our own economy, here in Canada. After taking office, we started by removing interprovincial trade barriers at the federal level. We introduced a buy Canadian policy in our…
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Mr. Speaker, National Acadian Day is a time when all Acadians come together to proudly celebrate our beautiful French language, our nation and our cultural commonalities. For years now, the funding has not been permanent. It always had to be renegotiated when agreements expired. This is a long-standing Société nationale de l'Acadie ask, and they were heard. Several MPs who care about Acadia raised…
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Mr. Speaker, as recently as yesterday or this week, the minister announced another $500 million to help the softwood lumber industry. We understand that the industry is going through a tough time and we are there to support it. Last summer, we announced a relief plan that we are currently implementing. We announced additional measures and we will continue to be there as the situation evolves. My c…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would like to know whether “damn arguments” is a parliamentary term.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to my colleague that Canada has one of the best net debt-to-GDP ratios in the G7. We have fiscal capacity, and we must use it to meet today's challenges. We are facing a tariff war that we did not ask for. We need to support the Canadian economy, and we must be there for Canadian businesses that are going through tough economic times. Businesses need us to be…
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Mr. Speaker, in his speech, my colleague talked about the importance of consistency, but I am having a hard time understanding. If consistency is really that important, why do people say it is important to invest in infrastructure in Quebec, such as the Magdalen Islands airport runway, the Forillon shipyard in Gaspé and the Exploramer shark pavilion in Saint‑Anne‑des‑Monts? These projects are impo…
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Mr. Speaker, if our colleague is truly motivated by a sincere desire to improve public health issues, why not table a motion specifically addressing that issue today? This is similar to other Conservative motions we have seen recently that have linked crime to immigration. Today, we are unfortunately seeing renewed attempts to establish connections between health care, immigration, and crime. I fi…
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Mr. Speaker, a functioning health care system relies on modern data infrastructure. However, at a time when data is travelling at lightning speed, too many doctors and nurses are still forced to use outdated technologies, like fax machines, to share information about their patients. Can the Minister of Health tell us what measures our government is taking to eliminate these barriers, improve secur…
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Madam Speaker, listening to my colleague, one would think that the positions of the various independent officers and commissioners of Parliament were useless. The fact is, they provide important oversight that strengthens accountability and promotes transparency. There are several commissioners, including the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner, the Commissioner …
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Madam Speaker, a commissioner is an independent officer of Parliament. We already have a number of different commissioners, such as the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and the Commissioner of Official Languages. This bill would establish a commissioner for modern treaty implementation. This would be a permanent oversight and accountability mechanism specifically designed to hold the G…
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Madam Speaker, I think that everyone who cares deeply about Canadians should work to pass this budget, which will tackle infrastructure needs, help with the cost of living and address the housing shortage. We are at a critical moment in Canadian history. We want to transform the Canadian economy to make it stronger and more resilient in order to increase our purchasing power. We are facing a tarif…
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear my colleague talk about how important the long term is. I am also pleased to hear that the Bloc will support us in the short term to help people who need it right now. As for the long term, we know that climate change has an impact on food prices. However, on December 3, when we voted on whether to implement a national strategy for flood and drought forecasting, the …
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Madam Speaker, today we are discussing an important bill that will roll out the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. This benefit is based on the existing GST credit. It will put more money in the pockets of Canadians who need it most. People with low or modest incomes will see an increase in the amount of money they receive. We are doing this because we recognize that there is a real need to …
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Madam Speaker, the cost of living and affordability are top concerns for Canadians. We want to listen to Canadians and meet their needs on an ongoing basis. In budget 2025, we implemented a number of measures that directly address the issue of the cost of living. I am thinking of the middle-class tax cut, the school food program becoming permanent, and the investments we will be making in infrastr…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague how today's announcement regarding Bill C-19 fits into a broader strategy to address the cost of living in Canada. In other words, how will it help Canadians deal with the rising cost of living and how will it strengthen food security? This is not a stand-alone measure. It is part of a plethora of other measures that really help Canadians. I would li…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to remind the member that his party supports Bill C-19, from what I understand, and I think it is a welcome measure that will receive unanimous support in the House. My colleague talks about structural problems. In fact, I would say that a bigger structural problem is our Conservative colleagues' unwillingness to help Canadians in need. Every time we propose measures to…
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Mr. Speaker, in his introduction, my colleague mentioned that it is important for us to work together constructively and to set aside partisanship in order to find solutions that meet the public's needs. He also mentioned his dissatisfaction with the fact that our Conservative colleagues are seeking to roll back our environmental protection measures. However, in my book, actions speak louder than …
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Mr. Speaker, I know that the country's rural regions are important to my colleague and friend. I had the opportunity to discuss the priorities of rural Canada with him several times over the past year. I would like him to tell us how the different economic and social policies that the government is putting in place will have a positive impact on the rural communities across the country.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her wonderful question. I think increasing funding by $20 million is an excellent decision. This will help food banks across the country. The federal government already supports food banks through funding that is sent to regional and provincial organizations, which in turn share the funding equitably with food banks in the communities we represen…
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Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of our mandate, we have been taking meaningful action to strengthen and unify the Canadian economy and make it more competitive and resilient. We started by removing federal barriers to interprovincial trade. We are in the process of developing new international trade partnerships. We are attracting foreign investment here in Canada. In budget 2025, we proposed var…
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Mr. Speaker, let me just say that we are putting long-term measures in place. These include the national food security strategy, which I just discussed, measures in budget 2025 that will stimulate investment and attract foreign investment and our efforts to diversify our international trading partnerships. All of these measures have the potential to transform the Canadian economy, strengthen it an…
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Mr. Speaker, there are several parts to my colleague's question. He mentioned the potential impact of floods and droughts on the cost of food. I could not agree with him more. That is why we need to improve Canada's ability to prevent floods and droughts. Incidentally, my colleague from Terrebonne introduced a private member's bill calling on Canada to adopt a national strategy in this regard. We …
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Mr. Speaker, we have been working since day one to build a strong economy that works for everyone. We want people to have access to better jobs, better opportunities and better wages. Thanks to our efforts to strengthen the Canadian economy, that is what is going to happen. In the meantime, we must be there to support people. We have already announced several measures, such as a tax cut for the mi…
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Mr. Speaker, I heard some great news in my colleague's speech. He said that he would support any measure to strengthen Canadians' purchasing power. Bill C‑19 will help us support Canadians while we wait for the effects of our transformative changes to the economy to take place. If I understand correctly, my colleague will not only vote in support of Bill C‑19 but also in support of our budget beca…
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Madam Speaker, the Criminal Code must meet the public's expectations and evolve with the times. Bill C-16 proposes criminalizing the creation of deepfakes. When someone's face is manipulated to create deepfakes using tools such as AI and then disseminated, it can have a significant impact on the victim's life. Bill C-16 will criminalize that. It also criminalizes threatening to distribute non-cons…
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Mr. Speaker, today's Conservative motion leaves a few things out. There is no mention of industrial carbon pricing or of methane regulations. These omissions reflect the fact that the opposition would rather play political games with the MOU than work with us to implement it. I also think it reflects the fact that the leader of the official opposition would not have been able to negotiate such an …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I found my colleague's speech rather ironic. He talked about obstruction. I completely agree with him that we must avoid obstruction, but that is actually what the Conservatives are doing this afternoon in the House. We were supposed to have a debate on the budget implementation bill. This is a budget that meets Canadians' expectations with investments in public safety, border securit…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I struggle to understand how my colleague across the floor sets his priorities. Personally, I go to my riding and ask people what they want us to do. They tell me they want us to strengthen security. We are doing that with Bill C-12 and various changes to the Criminal Code. They tell me they want us to make life more affordable. We have Bill C-4, which is currently being studied and w…
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Mr. Chair, our government is working on developing new economic relationships with the United States, in addition to diversifying our economy through various partnerships around the world. On the issue of the United States, I believe that, yes, we need a new agreement with the U.S., but one that truly meets the needs of our industries and the interests of Canadians and workers. We must not sign an…
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Mr. Chair, I would say that our government's guiding principle from day one has been perfectly clear: We were elected to strengthen the Canadian economy and make it more resilient. That means diversifying our markets. It means supporting key sectors of the Canadian economy. It means providing targeted support for the sectors hardest hit by U.S. tariffs. I would remind the House that we did not ask…
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Mr. Chair, our government is determined to protect every worker in our country. We have already put measures in place to do just that. We hope to protect every job. In the unfortunate event that job losses do occur, we have recently made adjustments to the EI system. For example, we have extended the waiver of the one-week waiting period for EI until April 2026. We have invested in people who want…
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Mr. Chair, I would like to inform you that I will be sharing my time with the member for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin. The auto industry plays a vital role in the Canadian economy, contributing approximately $16.8 billion in economic activity in 2024, which accounted for nearly 8% of Canada's total manufacturing GDP. In my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche, there may not be a large auto sector presence, but I…
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Mr. Chair, I am a relatively new member of the House, and there is one thing that I have a hard time understanding. The Conservatives say one thing in the House, but when it comes time to vote, they always do the opposite. They talk about the cost of living every day in the House, but when it comes time to vote for measures to help with the cost of living, the Conservatives vote against them. This…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Jean‑Guy Levesque, who recently announced his retirement after a decade in municipal politics. A well-known figure in Restigouche, he has dedicated his life to public service, beginning in the school system as a teacher, school principal, and district superintendent. A tireless volunteer, he made a name for himself in several community and sports organizations. …
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Mr. Speaker, public safety is an important issue for my colleague's riding, and in the budget we are making important investments to strengthen public safety. Since we formed government last spring, we have put forward many pieces of legislation regarding public safety. I would like to hear the member's views on how those investments are going to benefit her riding.
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Mr. Speaker, I was very surprised to see my colleague vote against the budget the other day, because there are several infrastructure projects that will have a significant impact on Quebec's economy. I am thinking of the Contrecœur container terminal project, the eastern energy partnership, and the Alto high-speed rail project, not to mention all the other infrastructure projects that the Bloc Qué…
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Mr. Chair, the forestry industry is central to the economy of the province of New Brunswick, and the U.S. administration's unjustified tariffs are having a significant impact on the sector. I heard my colleague voice several criticisms about our approach, but I did not hear many concrete suggestions on how we can actually help this very important sector. On our side, we have implemented measures: …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak today to private member's bill, Bill C‑220, an act to amend the Criminal Code with regard to immigration status in sentencing, introduced by the member for Calgary Nose Hill. This bill raises fundamental questions about our justice system, such as the individualization of sentences, proportionality, parity and, above all, the key role the jud…
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Mr. Chair, we launched our buy Canadian policy because we wanted to become our own best client. Through our investments in Build Canada Homes, our projects of national interest and our investments in infrastructure, we will focus on Canadian lumber. We want to build our country with our resources. Does my colleague agree that it is important for our government to strengthen domestic demand for lum…
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Mr. Chair, I hold my colleague, the member for Nipissing—Timiskaming, in high regard. She is a strong voice here in Ottawa for rural communities. I would like to hear from her about the work she is doing in her riding to stay informed of the needs and realities of stakeholders in the northern Ontario lumber industry, so that she can represent them well here in Ottawa.
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Mr. Chair, my colleague from British Columbia is a strong advocate for her province and really understands the needs of the softwood lumber industry. She is a strong advocate for the workers and the businesses of this sector. I would like to hear her views on how the different measures we have put in place to help the industry have been received and what we can do to better help the softwood indus…
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Mr. Chair, the Forest Products Association of Canada welcomed the measures we have put in place to respond to the unjustified tariffs imposed by the U.S. administration. In particular, representatives mentioned that procurement reforms, funding for the tariff response, workforce supports and biofuel incentives are positive measures for the future of the forestry sector. However, the Leader of the …
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Mr. Chair, we recently put several measures in place to support the softwood lumber industry. I am thinking about the more than $1.2 billion in liquidity, in assistance programs and all the other measures we put in place to help businesses and workers affected by the tariffs. There is our buy Canadian policy, which will give priority to our softwood lumber in our infrastructure and homebuilding pr…
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