Joël Godin

Madam Speaker, the riding of Saint-Augustin—Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier comprises four constituencies in the National Assembly. On Monday, Quebeckers exercised their right to vote. I would like to congratulate the new member for La Peltrie, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, as well as new members Karim Elayoubi, for Chauveau; Marcos Archambault, for Louis‑Hébert; and Marcel Bouchard, for Portneuf. Representing constituents is both a privilege and a responsibility. I would like to wish them every success and assure them of my full co-operation. I would also like to thank the outgoing members of the National Assembly, Éric Caire, Sylvain Lévesque, Geneviève Guilbault and Vincent Caron, for their service over the past several years. Their commitment to serving our society deserves our respect and gratitude. I thank them for their dedication and their contribution. I would also like to acknowledge the 24 candidates who stood for election. Democracy has spoken. Let us now work together to serve our communities and keep the interests of our citizens at the forefront of everything we do.

Madam Speaker, simply put, the hundreds of announcements that were made this summer are not working. We saw the unemployment rate this morning. The Liberal government has been in office for 11 years and it has to accept responsibility for the current situation. Will the government acknowledge that Canada is in a difficult economic situation and that Canadians are experiencing an affordability crisis? Families will be feeling the effects of that crisis even more acutely this Thanksgiving weekend. If we want to find solutions, we need to admit that there is a problem. Will the government acknowledge the situation and admit that we are in the midst of a crisis?

Mr. Speaker, as elected officials, our number one responsibility toward the voters who put their trust in us is to do everything we can to improve their daily lives. Today, after question period, we will be voting on a motion moved by the members of the official opposition. It calls on the government to implement practical measures to reduce the cost of diesel. At a time when Canadians are being hit hard by inflation, lowering the tax on diesel could have an immediate impact on the operating costs of our farmers, truckers and businesses. Ultimately, it would help lower the cost of the groceries families buy every week, which means that every generation would benefit: our families, our young people and our seniors. I urge the Liberal government to support our motion. When we have an opportunity to help Canadians save money and enhance our energy self-sufficiency, we would do well to work together without partisanship. Let us put Canadians' interests first.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are big on talk and short on results. They are trying to convince us otherwise, but Canadians are struggling under the weight of rising rents, transportation costs, and grocery prices. Canadians and the people of Saint-Augustin—Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier deserve better. The government needs to take real, immediate action so that people can pay their bills. This is what the Conservatives propose. First, lower the cost of housing by cutting federal tax on the construction of new housing and by encouraging municipalities to issue permits faster, free up land and lower costs. Second, lower the cost of fuel, which will lower the cost to motorists and lower the cost of transporting the products that end up in our grocery baskets. We propose cutting all federal fuel taxes until Canada Day. Third, cut the GST on vehicles made in Canada to make them more affordable and to protect our auto industry. Canadians want concrete and effective measures now.

Mr. Speaker, what is unfortunate is that the Liberals are accusing us of voting against programs that they put in place. They put them in place anyway because they have a majority. However, the fact is that it is not working. Sophie, a mother of three in my community, is desperate for food assistance and rental assistance. She is thinking of declaring bankruptcy. My colleagues heard that right: She is thinking of declaring bankruptcy. This is serious. Will the Liberals adopt our proposals so that Canadians like Sophie can keep more money in their pockets?