Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of disastrous Liberal management, life is becoming increasingly expensive for Canadians. This government keeps wasting tens of billions of dollars on international aid, fake asylum seekers, mass illegal immigration and the disastrous Alto project. It is time to start saving Canadians money. Will the Liberals agree to the Conservatives' proposal to suspend all federal taxes on gas and diesel until Canada Day 2027?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are completely out of touch with reality. Can they stop trying to save the planet and start looking after Canadians? This week, I talked about Chantal, who has three children and is struggling financially. Today, I want to talk about Nick and his partner in Beauce, who dream of buying a home. After 11 years of Liberal government, house prices have tripled. For thousands of young people, that dream is now out of reach. Will the Liberal government adopt our Conservative economic plan to leave more money in families' pockets?

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of Liberal rule, even full-time workers are having a hard time making ends meet at the end of the month. According to the National Payroll Institute, half of all employed Canadians now report spending all, or sometimes more, of their net pay. That means that families are being forced to go into debt just to put food on the table. The Conservatives have identified over $150 billion in unnecessary Liberal spending. That works out to $10,000 per family. Will the Liberals adopt our Conservative plan to save families money?

Mr. Speaker, they are completely disconnected from reality. I am sorry, but the minister's answer is not going to put food on Chantal's table. Chantal is a single mother in Saint‑Georges. She works full-time but still needs to use food banks. After she pays her rent and bills, there is not enough money left over to feed her children. Chantal is not alone. This morning, I spoke with people at Moisson Beauce and they told me that over 6,300 residents of Beauce use food banks every month. How many more families have to reach that point before the Liberals put our Conservative plan into action?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was elected on a promise to reach an agreement with the Americans. Today, that promise is in ruins. The unjustified escalation of the tariffs and retaliatory tariffs is causing our companies' operating costs to soar. Norgate Metal in Beauce is already projecting $7 million in additional costs for its current contracts alone. Ultimately, Canadians are the ones who are going to pay the price. Can the Prime Minister tell us how much the retaliatory tariffs will really cost businesses in Quebec and Beauce?

Mr. Speaker, we are going to give him some very important information about the counter-tariffs. The Liberal Party and Prime Minister's failed negotiations are hurting our economy. Our businesses are paying a fortune. I will give some real examples. The garage door manufacturer Garaga will be paying $1.5 million a month. Beauce Atlas will be paying $550,000 a week. You heard me, Mr. Speaker: $550,000. These costs are putting jobs here at risk, and Canadians are the ones who are going to pay the price. Why did the Minister of Finance ignore the recommendations of businesses in Beauce, Quebec, and Canada?

Mr. Speaker, according to the the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, or CFIB, Canadian SMEs and entrepreneurs are still being overlooked by the Liberal government. Businesses in Beauce do not need empty promises. They need a government that stands up for them. Liberal policies have been dragging us down for 10 years. Canada cannot have a strong economy if our SMEs are not investing here. Does the government realize that it is the main obstacle to investment in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, according to the CFIB, four in 10 businesses say that economic uncertainty, and especially political uncertainty, is discouraging investment in our country. In Beauce, we are fortunate to have extraordinary companies such as Beauce Atlas and Bois Hamel creating jobs, investing in our communities, and creating wealth in our regions. However, over the past 10 years under the Liberals, with all the colossal deficits, instability, and lack of leadership in particular, investment in Canada has stalled. Do the Liberals realize that they are part of the problem facing Canadian businesses?

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my esteemed colleague from Richmond Hill South. I rise today not to engage in petty politics, but to talk about something very simple that everyone in our regions understands well, except the Liberals, of course: respect for hard‑earned money. Back home in Beauce, money does not grow on trees. People earn their money early in the morning, with both hands in the dirt, behind a counter, at a construction site, or at a factory. When people earn it that way, they learn to respect it. It is with that respect in mind that I will talk about Bill C-30 and the Liberal government's economic snapshot. The Liberals projected a $38‑billion deficit in budget 2025. For the current fiscal year, the Liberal Prime Minister is now projecting a $67‑billion deficit. Yes, $67 billion. That is a lot of money. That is not just pocket change. The worst part is that he is projecting even bigger deficits in the years to come. Deficits can happen in a crisis. However, when they become a habit, Canadians have the right to ask a very simple question: Where are the Liberals' results? There are none. The real issue is not just how much money is being spent, but what we are getting in return. Take housing, for example. While people are struggling to find somewhere to live due to skyrocketing inflation in rents, the Liberals say they are going to create yet another layer of bureaucracy with Build Canada Homes and a budget of $13 billion. The results are modest. I am not the one saying that; it is the former parliamentary budget officer himself. According to his estimate, Build Canada Homes will help build 26,000 homes over five years. His conclusion is that this is a “modest” contribution. The Liberals are spending $13 billion on a modest contribution; meanwhile, young families are unable to get on the property ladder and young people are desperately searching for affordable housing. Canadians do not want announcements; they want more homes. They want construction. They do not want words; they want action. Now I will turn to another obscene expenditure that I still cannot wrap my head around: the spaceport in Canso, Nova Scotia. To recap the situation one more time, a company is leasing this plot of land from the province for $13,500 a year. The Liberal government went to this company and offered to sublet the land from it for $20 million a year. It also decided it would be smart to sign a 10-year lease, for a total of $200 million. That is money down the drain. That is insane. Why? What is on this land that is costing us $200 million? There is a 25-foot-by-35-foot concrete pad, two sea cans and a gravel road. I could build a dozen just like it with pleasure. I could do that, no problem. The time will come when the Liberals will have to explain themselves to taxpayers. This is insane. We have not received any answers. We have been here for over a year, and we are asking questions, but we are still not getting answers. Nevertheless, there were 13 meetings with the minister's team, during which someone thought it would be a great idea to spend $200 million on a concrete pad. Now let us talk about an issue that is close to my heart: the gun buyback program. What a waste of money. According to the former parliamentary budget officer's estimates, the compensation could cost nearly $800 million. That does not even include the program's administrative costs. That is nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars to target law-abiding citizens first and foremost. Meanwhile, too many illegal weapons are crossing our borders and fuelling real crime. That is the real target. It takes courage, but the Liberals do not have it. The problem is not the hunters in Saint-Georges or the sport shooters in Sainte-Marie, these proud people who obey the law. I have travelled all over Quebec and met with hundreds of hunters and thousands of sport shooters. These families feel they are being unfairly targeted. These are people who play by the rules, who complete the training, who obtain their licences, and who follow every law. Today, this government is treating them as if they are the problem. That is unfair. I can assure members of one thing: I have not finished my tour, and I will never give up on this issue. As everyone knows, I come from a region built by entrepreneurs, farmers and manufacturers who export all over North America. Beauce is a beautiful region. I own businesses myself. In real life, when a person orders $100,000 worth of goods and only sells $60,000 worth, they lose their credit. That is exactly what the Liberals are doing with our children's credit card. When a government cannot balance the books, it should make adjustments, admit its mistakes, start over and move forward for the people. The government should be there for Canadians, not for its cronies. A country's wealth comes not from the government, but from businesses. It is businesses that create wealth. They want to grow, hire people and conquer new markets, but they are coming up against endless red tape. The government is approving megaprojects that take years to come to fruition, but these are nothing more than announcements. Businesses have to deal with endless paperwork, which discourages even the best of them. This is a matter of economic survival. If we do not address this now, our children will pay the price and their standard of living will suffer. The Prime Minister talks about developing new markets. I agree with that. Everyone agrees. It will not pay off for 15 years, but we agree. In the meantime, we must never forget one fundamental reality. I just did an economic tour of Quebec with some of my colleagues. Our number one partner will always be the United States. That is just geography. Our steel and aluminum companies are facing 50% tariffs. Since April 2, as I mentioned here in the House, the metal tariffs were originally set at 25%, but for a garage door, for example, the tariffs are now at 50% on the entire product. Our businesses cannot compete. They are not getting any support from this government. It is that simple. Let us talk about other problems affecting my riding of Beauce and many regions across Quebec. Our unemployment rate is under 2.8%. We have no workers, no people to work. The government must give us the tools we need to attract workers, produce goods and be competitive. The one-size-fits-all approach that the Liberals in Ottawa are applying across the country is not working. We need flexibility, smart thinking, tact, and a clear understanding of how to support businesses. When the Liberals spend money without getting results, it is not just numbers on a page. It means lost opportunities for our regions. Agriculture is not just an important economic sector. It is the cornerstone of food security in our regions. My colleague here in the back could speak to that importance. Our families in rural areas, thousands of producers, get up every morning to feed Canadians. However, there is not much for them in the budget. Our farmers feel abandoned. Production costs are skyrocketing. Just think about fuel, transportation, machinery, fertilizer, energy, and interest on loans. Who can borrow at current interest rates? Meanwhile, consumers are paying the price at the grocery store. To conclude, I want to say this: When I come here, I think of the families who work so hard every morning. They are struggling to put food on the table. They are struggling to find somewhere to live. I think of our local manufacturers who are watching their profit margins shrink. I think of the entrepreneurs who take risks, create jobs and keep our economy going. These people are not asking for the moon. They are asking for a government that understands them, that respects them, that manages their money as if it were its own. They are asking for a government that can boost productivity, get projects moving and actually deliver on them, not just announce them. We must defend our workers and our businesses against the U.S. tariffs. Canadians deserve to have their money managed diligently.

Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleague to come to Beauce. He is talking about a 17% increase in exports to other countries. That is 17% of nothing, while 85% of our business is with the United States. That is what we need to focus on. It is indeed important to develop markets, but you just said it yourself. That is a 17% increase on practically nothing. Do not go telling businesses in Beauce that they are happy with this. We do business with the United States. We have to resolve the issue with the Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I will answer my colleague. That is what we call “politician speak”. The Liberals know full well that we have had two consecutive quarters of deficit. They know full well that the market is very tough. They know we are in a recession. They know we are the only G7 country in a recession. The fact is that they are masters of illusion. What is it that you say, Jacques? These are nothing but illusions.

Mr. Speaker, we may well be the only G20 country in a recession. Why? It is because the Liberals are throwing taxpayers' money out the window. The Prime Minister spent nearly $1 million on meals for just 14 flights in a single year. The fact is that from May 16 to 19, 2025, from Ottawa to Rome, he spent $93,780 on food. That is a fact. From November 18 to 24, 2025, from Ottawa to Athens via Johannesburg, he spent on $159,781 on food. That is another fact. From January 5 to 7, 2026, from Ottawa to Paris, he spent $74,000 on food. That is another fact. From January 13 to 22, 2026, from Ottawa to Zurich, he spent $175,248 on fine dining. That is another fact. Clearly, the problem is not a lack of money. The problem is a lack of respect and accountability toward Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' out-of-control spending has plunged Canada into a recession. While Canadians are working hard just to put food on the table, the Prime Minister is treating himself on the taxpayers' dime. He spent $1 million on meals for just 14 flights. Here is a sample of what the Prime Minister enjoys: Normandy butter cups that cost $593. Unbelievable. He also enjoys crème brûlée that cost $4,213, chocolate mousse that cost $3,008 and $17,000 worth of salmon in just three flights. That must have been some very fresh salmon. Can the Prime Minister show a little respect for our taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, over the past few days, we have met with dozens of businesses across Quebec regarding the CUSMA review. The situation is clear: This Liberal government has completely abandoned businesses in the steel industry. The United States is protecting its steel market with tariffs of up to 100% on Asian imports. What are the Liberals doing here in Canada? They are doing nothing at all. Worse still, they are letting Asian countries dump their steel products here and flood our Canadian market. Will this Liberal government put its foot down and defend the Canadian steel industry?

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing funny about it. As I said, the Liberals are allowing Asian countries to dump their steel here. Garaga, a company in the Beauce region, sent emails to the Liberal government with evidence that non-compliant garage doors from Asia containing toxic substances banned in Canada are entering the country. What have the Liberals done about it? They have not done a thing yet. They are letting them come in. Garaga just has to fend for itself. After a decade of failures, the only thing this Liberal government has managed to do is put Canadians in debt and hurt our businesses. Will the Liberals wake up and take care of our people?

Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure for me to rise in the House to represent Canada's most beautiful region, Beauce. Today, I have the honour of presenting petition e‑7232, signed by 10,354 hunters and sport shooters. Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to meet with the constituents, federations of hunters and anglers, gun clubs and responsible firearm owners across Quebec who signed this petition. Their message is clear: The gun buyback program is a huge expenditure that does not address the root cause of violence in Canada. The petitioners firmly believe that mental health and support for people in distress are the real pillars of preventing violence and strengthening safety in our communities. Legal gun owners are already subject to strict rules. Rather than wasting public funds on confiscating legally acquired assets, the government needs to invest where the needs are most urgent in our communities. As long as the protection of our communities is ignored, the problem will continue. That is why the 10,354 petitioners are calling on the government to put an end to the firearm buyback program and redirect the funds immediately to actual services, such as support for community organizations, mental health care and resources for people experiencing homelessness.

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister is the only G7 leader to have driven his economy into a recession. This recession is the result of a lack of leadership, unchecked spending and high taxes, which are causing record job losses. Over the past 360 days, GDP has fallen by 0.6%, yet Brookfield has surged by 19.56%. While the Prime Minister and his friends at Brookfield are getting richer, the people of Beauce are getting poorer. Will the Liberal Prime Minister show some leadership and take this crisis seriously?

Mr. Speaker, all G7 countries are facing the same challenges, yet the Liberals are the only ones who have led the Canadian economy into recession. The Liberals are squandering taxpayers' money without a second thought. Let me give some examples. The budget for ArriveCAN was $80,000; the actual cost was $60 million. The budget for Cúram was $1.75 billion; the actual cost was $6.6 billion. Here is the icing on the cake: They spent $180,000 on food for just three flights for our Prime Minister. What is the big deal? It is free. When will the Prime Minister start managing Canadians' money properly?

Mr. Speaker, we learned this morning that Canada is the only G7 country currently in a recession. Despite this, in Nova Scotia, the provincial government leased a plot of land to a private company with close ties to the Liberals for $13,500 a year. That company then turned around and sublet the same land to the Liberal federal government for $20 million a year. It went from $13,500 to $20 million. What is more, the government has leased it for 10 years. That is $200 million down the drain. Could the Liberals possibly stop wasting Canadians' money?

Mr. Speaker, I'm sure our Prime Minister has never heard of our local wine, Harfang des Neiges. Why does the Prime Minister need a luxury meal for his official trips? This is taxpayers' money spent on $195,000 worth of food for just three flights. Imagine that, folks. Is a little chicken or a nice lasagna not good enough for the Prime Minister? When will the Liberal Prime Minister stop breaking the bank at the expense of the people of Beauce?

Mr. Speaker, the story never changes with this Liberal government: more costs, more taxes, more spending and most of all, less money in the pockets of Canadian families. Today, the Liberals' inflationary deficits have landed us in $1 trillion worth of debt. This Prime Minister is just another spendthrift Liberal. My question is simple: When is the Prime Minister going to stop blowing up the deficit and maxing out the credit card of people living in Beauce?

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to rise today to mark the 110th anniversary of the 619 Beauceville Cadet Corps. Since its official founding on September 28, 1915, this unit has left its mark on the history of our community. Behind those 110 years are generations of young people who have learned discipline, respect, bravery, mutual support and the drive to excel. There are also cherished memories, lasting friendships, proud families, officers, instructors and volunteers who have given their time to guide our young people and instill in them a passion for service. The 619 Cadet Corps is more than just a youth organization. It is a school of life. It is a pillar of Beauceville. It is a tradition that continues to inspire. I want to salute the cadets, alumni, officers, instructors, volunteers and everyone involved in the cadet corps who have been there for so many years. I wish the 619 Beauceville Cadet Corps a happy 110th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time. It is a pleasure, a privilege and an honour for me to stand before this House to represent and defend the interests of the people of Beauce. I am rising today to condemn the Prime Minister's inaction in response to U.S. tariffs. The Prime Minister was elected on a promise to quickly resolve the issue with the Americans. Since then, nothing has been resolved. Worse still, the tariffs have doubled. The unjustified tariffs imposed by the United States have caused economic chaos for all Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast, and especially in my region, Beauce, the capital of entrepreneurship. The impact is real. Our workers, our businesses and our families are being hit hard. Let us be clear: every day these U.S. tariffs remain in place, jobs are lost, businesses are closing and others are at risk. The steel, lumber, and manufacturing sectors—such as garage door and furniture manufacturing—are particularly vulnerable and at risk. While our regions suffer, this Liberal government is showing a glaring lack of leadership in defending Canada and in initiating formal negotiations with the Americans to achieve results. The Prime Minister likes to talk about a tariff war, but all he does is announce temporary measures. At the end of the day, these are nothing more than band-aid solutions. There has been no progress in seven months. That is insane. The Prime Minister has no interest in tackling the root of the problem, which are the U.S. tariffs, nor is he taking the time to do so. I invite the Prime Minister to come visit Beauce and see what businesses are going through. Let him come see the workers who are losing their jobs. The Prime Minister is deliberately refusing to negotiate with the Americans. It makes no sense. My message to the Prime Minister is simple: The U.S. tariffs are a harsh reality. They are killing jobs, forcing businesses to close, and taking a toll on families. Once again, it is business owners and families who are being hit hard. Our businesses are suffering. Yet again, this is the result of a lack of leadership, a glaring lack of action, and an outright abandonment of our businesses by the Prime Minister. Along the U.S. border in Beauce, the impact is even more severe. Some businesses generate 90% of their sales from exports to the United States. The government is just tinkering as it goes. It lends money; it provides subsidies. However, the people and businesses of Beauce do not want government money; they do not want to depend on the government. Instead, they want the government to give them the tools to make their products. They are proud people, but they do not have the tools. The government says it wants a fair deal with the Americans, but it is not even talking to them. It is not even taking the time to speak with them. This is unacceptable. This government is lacking leadership. As I mentioned, every day that this tariff war continues, jobs are being lost and businesses are relocating. Local businesses are relocating and sending their contracts to the United States. That is what is happening. This was supposed to be resolved a year ago, but the government keeps putting it off and doing nothing. Once again, this is a lack of leadership. I recently had the opportunity to visit Garaga, a local company and the largest garage door manufacturer in Canada and North America. It is a real jewel in our community. The new section 232 tariffs on steel, which have applied as of early April, have quite simply made Canadian manufacturers uncompetitive, with total tariffs of 50% on finished products. It is also important to consider the exchange rate and finished products. The government has not implemented any measures on imports from Indonesia. These imports are coming in to the tune of $600 million. The Americans, however, have done so. We have no tools to work with. We are not competitive. Our manufacturers have the necessary resilience, but negotiations must move forward. I met with Canada's ambassador to the United States last week. It has been seven months since talks have happened. Someone needs to explain that to me. The reality is clear. People in Canada and in Beauce do not want or need temporary measures. They do not want band-aid solutions. They want a negotiated agreement. I cannot express that enough. They want a level playing field for businesses and predictability from the government to help them maintain their productivity and competitiveness. Again, during the election campaign, the Prime Minister claimed he was the leader best equipped to deal with the U.S. President and protect our interests. Now the tariffs have doubled. Let him go explain that to South Shore Furniture in Sainte-Croix. It does not matter. The Prime Minister declared that the Americans have become our weakness. Let us go explain that to the people who lost their jobs at South Shore Furniture. That is 126 workers. At Domtar in Baie-Comeau, 186 workers lost their jobs. Let the Prime Minister go explain that the Americans are our weakness. The Americans will always be our biggest financial partners in exports. I am all for developing new markets. That is great. However, I have enough experience to know that new markets will not pay off for another 10 or 20 years. We need to make progress today. Today, that means focusing on the United States. This raises the following question: Why are we not actively engaged in negotiations with our largest trading partner? Hundreds of thousands of jobs are on the line. Some of our finest companies are fighting for their survival. Families are being hit hard. I will say it again: The negotiators have not spoken in seven months. The government lacks leadership on this file. I have talked about this: For India, it is 650 million dollars' worth of imports. Our steelworkers are not being protected. There are also 193 million dollars' worth of imports from Indonesia. The problem is only in Canada. Negotiations between Mexico and the United States are going quite well. Meanwhile, Canada is sitting on the sidelines. I would like someone to explain that to me. It is deliberate. Avoiding these negotiations is unacceptable. The Prime Minister claims to be the right man for the job, but his actions say otherwise. I invite him to come to Beauce to talk with the workers who have lost their jobs, the people at the businesses on the verge of experiencing difficulties, the businesses that are once again going to send their production abroad. At a press conference in Beauce last week, one of them, a prized local business, told me that if this continues, the business will move its jobs from Beauce to the United States. That is sad. It is sad that this government is not taking action. It is sad that all this government is doing is making announcements, not taking action. It is not tackling the root of the problem: the U.S. tariffs. As I have said, the exchange rate is the reason we are not competitive. Every day, the government says it is helping our businesses. Loans do not help businesses; they hurt them. One need not have spent 30 years in business to know that. If businesses take out more loans, they will eventually have trouble paying them back. They will not be profitable. The ambassador says he is ready to negotiate, and the U.S. says it is ready, so why are they not calling each other? He says he has their number, so why is he not sending them a message? Our businesses are suffering because of these threats, and they have had enough. Why is the government not taking steps to protect our steel sector? The government is offering band-aid solutions while our global competitors are protecting their markets aggressively. This government's response is a day late and a dollar short. Let me be clear: The Liberal government is still deliberately choosing to delay negotiations with the United States, and that is unacceptable. Our constituents expect us, as members, to stand up for them, not our own personal interests. That is why we are here: to stand up for our constituents. The government's job is to stand up for them and reach an agreement with the Americans. Canadians expect their government to be at the negotiating table, to fight for them, day in and day out, until the agreement is signed. In closing, I urge the Liberal Prime Minister to show leadership and stand up for Canada's interests on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Lac‑Saint‑Jean, an incredible region that I visited last week with my children for a tournament. In my opinion, this is just another band-aid solution. I am repeating myself, but we do not need band-aid solutions or temporary measures. We need permanent measures. There is only one permanent measure, and it involves sitting down with the government, negotiating in good faith and resolving the tariff situation.

Mr. Speaker, I agree that no one wants a bad deal. However, if a mouse pesters an elephant, the elephant will end up stomping on the mouse. What happened? The tariffs doubled. Why? It is because they did not have a discussion. The government can take all the measures it wants and negotiate deals all over the world, but that is not going to fix the real problem, which is that our biggest trade deal will always be with the U.S. The government needs to sit down, pick up the phone, call the White House and get a deal.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague. As I mentioned earlier, my riding is on the U.S. border. We have lived alongside the U.S. for decades. Some of the companies in my riding do 90% of their total business, not just exports, on the other side of the tariffs. We are right up against the border. It is like the bridge here between Ottawa and Gatineau. My colleague needs to understand that we have been physically dealing with the U.S. for years. That is why our businesses are hurting so much. As I said earlier, the people of Beauce do not want money. They do not want to be dependent on the government. They want this government to step up and show leadership. They want it to call our U.S. counterparts, sit down with them and negotiate a win-win deal.

Mr. Speaker, in Beauce, one plus one equals two. It does not equal -10, like the Liberals would have us believe. The Prime Minister's spending on the Liberal credit card is having a devastating impact on Canadians: more taxes, more Liberal inflation and more interest charges. That amounts to $3,400 per family per year. While the Liberals are racking up deficits, the price of essentials like gas and housing continue to rise. The people of Beauce are the ones paying the price for this mismanagement which, once again, has been disastrous. My question is simple: Does the Liberal credit card have a limit?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister was elected on a promise to resolve U.S. tariffs. A year later, nothing has been resolved. Worse yet, tariffs have doubled. Yesterday, we learned that Meubles South Shore in Sainte‑Croix is shutting down operations after 86 years in business. This closure represents the loss of 126 jobs, primarily due to the unjustified tariffs imposed by the Untied States. In Beauce, our economy is connected to the United States. This connection is an asset that makes our region one of Quebec's and Canada's economic engines. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister describes our relationship with the United States, our largest trading partner, as a weakness. Last week, in parliamentary committee, we learned that the Liberal government has held no negotiations with the United States in the past seven months. Beauce residents and businesses are demanding that the U.S. tariff issue be settled before more jobs are lost.

Mr. Speaker, more than half of Quebeckers aged 50 and older are worried about not having enough money for their retirement. One in two Quebeckers is worried about not being able to pay their bills. This is the direct result of a decade of Liberal mismanagement and Liberal deficits. The economic update is coming later today, and unfortunately, our seniors will once again pay the price. Will the Prime Minister stop racking up debt on the national credit card, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has appointed a personal friend of his to serve as Canada's ambassador to Washington. Mark Wiseman is not a wise man. He opposes supply management and does not respect the French language. In fact, he is the founder of the Century Initiative, which aims to bring millions of immigrants to Quebec to diminish the demographic weight of French. How could the Prime Minister appoint a buddy who wants to extinguish the French language and who opposes supply management as ambassador to the United States?

Mr. Speaker, a buddy is a buddy. The Liberals' inflationary deficits are costing Canadians dearly. Canadians will pay $55.6 billion in interest this year alone to the Prime Minister's banker buddies. That $55.6 billion even exceeds the cost of the Canada health transfer. The Bank of Canada has been clear that the high interest rates are a direct result of the Liberal debt. The fiscal update is next week. Will the Prime Minister put an end to the Liberals' inflationary deficit, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, the Prime Minister described our trading relationship with the United States as a “weakness”. The real weakness is the Liberal policy that is making life increasingly unaffordable for Canadians. The cost of gas, which was $1.40 a litre a few months ago, has now risen to $1.80 a litre. The Liberal math is to reduce it by 10¢ a litre. However, Canadians are still short 30¢ a litre. When will the Liberal government suspend all federal fuel taxes?

Mr. Speaker, Liberal inflation is costly. Liberal taxes are costly. Liberal inaction is costly. Liberal math is extremely costly. The Liberals are announcing a discount of four cents per litre on diesel. Talk about impact—that is terrible. Allow me to share an example. A semi carrying groceries has 15,000 items in it. A discount of four cents per litre amounts to one-fifth of a cent per item. Well done. In short, this plan is not worth a penny. Will the government adopt our plan and suspend all federal taxes on gasoline?

Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks, I have travelled across Quebec, meeting with hunters, sport shooters, enthusiasts like myself. They are honest, law-abiding people. They are angry about Bill C-21, the Liberals' gun confiscation law, because they are being treated like criminals. The Liberals are wasting nearly $1 billion while real crime is skyrocketing across the country. With zero results and zero impact, this law is a total failure. Will the Minister of Public Safety admit that his law is a boondoggle? Will he scrap it?

Mr. Speaker, that is pure disinformation. The Liberals claim it is voluntary. Is that really the case? People are paid if they hand in their weapons before March 31. From April to October, they will not get a penny, and if they still have their gun on October 31, they are a criminal. This law is far from being voluntary. It is abusive; it is undemocratic. The problem is not the gun; it has always been the person holding the gun. That has always been the issue. Will the minister scrap this abusive law, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister chose to reduce gas taxes by a measly one-third. As a result, Canadians are still paying 15¢ in federal tax per litre of gas. The Liberal inflation of the last 11 years is costly for Canadians, the people of Beauce, workers and businesses. This is a sign that the government does not respect its citizens and is completely out of touch. My question is for the Prime Minister. Will he vote in favour of our Conservative motion, which will suspend all federal taxes on gasoline?

Mr. Speaker, four cents per litre of gas is not going to make any difference. What a joke. Canadians are suffocating thanks to the Liberals' inflationary cost of living. The government has collected an extra $10 billion in federal gas tax. That is ten thousand million dollars. Instead of padding Ottawa's coffers and making their rich buddies billions of dollars richer, can the Liberals help real people in our communities? My question is straightforward. Will the Prime Minister stop picking Canadians' pockets and lower the cost of living?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals claim that federal taxes on gasoline and diesel have no effect on inflation or the cost of living. Seriously, is anyone buying that? Do they have any respect for Canadians? We are talking 25¢ a litre. Meanwhile, Canadians, people from Beauce, workers and entrepreneurs are seeing their bills skyrocket and their purchasing power plummet. My question is simple. Will the Prime Minister suspend the federal gas tax, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the regions of Quebec have run out of patience. The Liberal government's inaction is costing them dearly. That is not according to me; it is according to mayors, business people and organizations in the Chaudière-Appalaches region who are here in Ottawa to sound the alarm. The Prime Minister promised to get rid of U.S. tariffs on steel and softwood lumber. He failed. He plunged the immigration system into total chaos. That is another failure. Now, jobs are being lost in every one of our regions. How many more jobs will we have to lose before the Prime Minister keeps his promises to businesses in Beauce?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say good afternoon to my esteemed colleague from Beauport—Limoilou. It is a very beautiful region. My mother-in-law lives in that magnificent region. We are all in favour of developing new markets. However, I will pick up on my colleague's chess analogy. Right now, the government is going after the pawn instead of the king. Strategically, in chess, the goal is to take down the king. Right now, the number one issue is U.S. tariffs and the agreement with the U.S. government. The Liberal government seems to be hiding from that and backing down. It is being vague. With the agreement in Bill C-18, yes, we want to grow, but it is not going to pay off right away. It will take many years. Also, this represents less than 0.1% of trade. My question is very simple. Why are the Liberals not dealing with the real issues?

Mr. Speaker, first of all, it is a pleasure and an honour for me to represent the magnificent region of Beauce in the House. Today, I rise to speak to Bill C-18 on the Canada-Indonesia economic agreement. Beauce is considered the entrepreneurial capital of Canada. We have a large number of businesses and entrepreneurs. We also have many farmers. Beauce is home to some of the best farmers in the world. We work hard. We are proud to grow our economy. Beauce, and the people from there, create wealth. That is why, as parliamentarians, we must do everything we can to help them develop new markets, but we must develop them with discipline, care and rigour. Conservatives have always defended and will always defend free trade, but also trade that is fair and reciprocal. I call these win-win agreements. This approach must remain our priority as Canada seeks to diversify its markets. Under Stephen Harper's leadership, the Conservatives actively championed free trade with free nations, signing numerous free trade agreements to diversify our trade, but in a cautious and very responsible manner. Unfortunately, under the Liberals, Canada has fallen behind, and our dependence on the Americans and the United States has only grown over the past 10 years. Today, the Liberals are trying to make up for lost time by signing agreements quickly and at any cost, but they are forgetting to do their due diligence. This brings me to Bill C-18. The Prime Minister called this agreement between Canada and Indonesia revolutionary. There is nothing revolutionary about it. It is pretty marginal. Canadians need meaningful results. The Liberals are hiding the reality, and the reality is that we are still facing unjustified U.S. tariffs. Beauce borders the United States. Its geographic location allows our businesses, farmers, manufacturers, exporters and retailers to do business with the world's largest economy. However, the Liberals have failed the people of Beauce. They have basically given up on the relationship with the United States. After promising a speedy trade deal with Washington, they are now at an endless impasse. The people who come up to me day after day are not talking to me about Indonesia. They are talking about the American tariffs. Every day, people in Beauce ask me whether we are going to have a new agreement or a deal with the Americans. I have never heard anyone mention Indonesia. It is simply not the priority. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister and the Minister of International Trade travel all over the globe and come back to Parliament with minor free trade agreements. These agreements are minor, but they contain hidden tariff barriers. A recurring issue raised by Canadian beef producers is that Canadian beef continues to face a technical problem that we call non-tariff barriers. For example, Indonesia requires that beef exports come from cattle born and raised in Canada or that have resided in Canada for at least four months immediately prior to slaughter. These are called non-tariff barriers. Producers have complained. We do not hear much about this from the Liberal government. According to the Canadian Cattle Association, “The integration of the North American cattle market makes it near impossible to achieve this residency requirement”, so they will not be entering into an agreement or doing business with them, plain and simple. This impossible requirement may prevent our Canadian producers from taking advantage of duty-free access to the Indonesian market. This apparent non-tariff barrier represents a significant challenge for Canadian beef producers. Although Global Affairs Canada mentions a memorandum of understanding establishing a dialogue on sanitary and phytosanitary issues, we are concerned about this. We are seeing a trend where non-tariff barriers are simply not being addressed by the Liberal government. Just look at the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union. The Liberals promised to resolve the issue of regulatory differences between Canada and Europe. Today, 10 years later, nothing has changed. European producers have full access to our market to compete with Beauce's farmers, while we are unable to export our pork and beef. The devil is in the details. Over the past few weeks, the Standing Committee on International Trade has been hearing testimony about the non-tariff barriers that the United Kingdom continues to impose on Canadian beef and pork. The United Kingdom's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership eliminates tariffs on Canadian beef and pork on paper. However, in practice, the United Kingdom continues to impose non-tariff barriers to prevent us from accessing their market. The consequences for our beef and pork producers are devastating. Allow me to share some figures from the Library of Parliament. In 2024, the United Kingdom exported 42 million dollars' worth of beef products to Canada. In the first half of 2025, 28 million dollars' worth of beef products entered Canada. In 2024, Canada exported only 85,000 dollars' worth of beef products to the United Kingdom. In 2025, brace for this: zero. That is right, zero dollars. It is all well and good to sign agreements, as my colleagues say, just to save face. However, an agreement that serves no purpose is a waste of time and money. As with the agreement with Indonesia, the Liberal government is prepared to sign the free trade agreement without obtaining any guarantee that our Canadian producers will receive barrier-free access. Meanwhile, our farmers are struggling to remain competitive. Our beef producers raise cattle of the highest quality, some of the best beef in the world. They are proud, and they deserve a government that is willing to fight for them. We need a government that will fight to ensure that Canada's free trade agreements are 100% barrier free. Too often, this Liberal government seems reluctant to fight to eliminate the most significant barriers affecting farmers in Beauce and across the country. In the meantime, regions like Beauce are facing enormous challenges, including U.S. tariffs, non-tariff barriers in Europe, and major increases in input costs. The Canadian government needs to prioritize producers, defend our industry, and achieve meaningful gains for our farmers. That is the way to protect Canadian producers and put Canada first. Canada cannot control what the President and other countries' negotiators do, but one thing it can do is control its own destiny. The government must ensure that all non-tariff barriers are removed and secure a firm guarantee that trade will be not only free, but fair. Again, it has to be a win-win situation. We must diversify our trade without leaving our farmers behind. We can strengthen our sovereignty and grow our economy. That is how Canada can take control and put itself first. In conclusion, farmers in Beauce, as everywhere else in rural Canada, feed the country and the world. However, they are struggling and only benefit from free trade when they have genuine reciprocal access to new markets. Once again, Bill C-18 does not remove all non-tariff barriers, so our farmers will have to continue to fight for fair and reciprocal access.

Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. Yes, we need to diversify our markets everywhere, we need to improve our businesses, and we need to enter into agreements. However, allow me to repeat myself, the way I do as a member of the Standing Committee on International Trade: When it comes to non-tariff barriers, the details of agreements are important. Simply signing agreements is not enough. Signing an agreement is easy; anyone can do it. What matters is getting something in return. I can give my esteemed colleague an example: the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA. Under CETA, we were supposed to export 300 million dollars' worth of pork. How much was sent? The answer: zero. Because of non-tariff barriers, access is not guaranteed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Shefford for the question. It is much appreciated. I would like to acknowledge my committee colleague, who is looking at me and wants to hear my response. I will respond to my colleague's first comment about the importance of diversifying our sector and diversifying the countries we trade with. Yes, I agree that we need to expand our circle of friends in business. I agree on that point. However, I want to come back to something. She says that we do not hear much about Indonesia. We hear about the United States. However, no one here is talking about that. It seems that we are the only ones talking about it on this side of the House. We share a border with the United States. We do business with the Americans. We are talking about 0.12%. We are spending time on this. To me, it is a waste of time and money. Canada is not lacking in talented entrepreneurs or strong industries. Canada needs a government that takes action, not a government that is asleep at the wheel.