Parliamentary Speeches
364 speeches by Marie-Hélène Gaudreau — Page 2 of 8
Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I wonder if my colleague thinks it is time to put a cost on climate change. Everyone is trying to say that it is a need, that we need oil. Where are my 77 colleagues from Quebec when we know full well that it is in Quebec that we are going to succeed in maintaining, if not reducing, our greenhouse gas emissions? We have already proven it. Does my colleague agree that we are going to h…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to get back to the subject at hand. Those who are watching us are wondering what is going on. First, the government is buying pipelines; then, the opposition wants to repeal anything and everything related to the oil sector's emissions cap. I do not understand. Should we believe the Auditor General and the environment commissioner or not? Our emissions reduction targets are not…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Michel Bolduc in the House today because he has been an important pillar of Mont‑Laurier's social fabric for over 30 years. As a social worker with certification in the areas of mental health and addictions, Michel Bolduc has been an authority on homelessness in Quebec. I had the privilege of working with him for many years, and I have seen how he never gives up. W…
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Madam Speaker, when we talk about Bill C‑5, we are talking about human beings, about families. Let me be clear: The Bloc Québécois will be supporting the bill. Just because we are members of the Bloc Québécois does not mean we think only about the people of Quebec. Among other things, there are real people behind this inequity, which has been described as unconstitutional. Despite the opposition a…
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to be back in the House. It feels like the start of a new school year. That being said, today, we are dealing with a subject that merits reflection, but that I think we need to move forward on. I say this as a member of the Bloc Québécois. Bill C-3 is a step in the right direction. I say that because of something that I witnessed recently. I want to give a shout-ou…
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Mr. Speaker, as we said, this is a minority government. Out of respect for the democratic process, I want to point out that people are watching us. A minority government requires consultations. That means going through all the democratic steps. We should keep sitting until July 15. We need to have a discussion. We suggested splitting up Bill C-5, since there are a lot of things in it that we agree…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's speech and I wonder what guarantees we have. We have already talked about carte blanche. What I am talking about is not only the 13 acts and seven regulations that the government would be free to ignore, but also what we need to discuss before proceeding. I would like to ask my colleague a question. The Liberals are telling us that we must seize …
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Mr. Speaker, I just realized the scope of the message. Members might have noticed that my colleague used the words of my predecessor last Friday. The only thing, if I understand correctly, is that he voted for it. What about the next steps? What does my colleague intend to do so that democracy can do its job and that this bill is not pushed through with closure?
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, they are joining the ranks of culinary greats such as Paul Bocuse, Anne-Sophie Pic and Alain Ducasse. I am talking about our Quebec chefs who were recently honoured by the prestigious Michelin Guide. On May 15, nine restaurants in Quebec were awarded stars. Tanière3, a true Quebec City institution, made a big splash by getting two stars on its first try, while ARVI, Kebec Club Privé, …
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Mr. Speaker, for those who missed the last few seconds, there is a major accountability issue. Honestly, I really wish we had a full hour to discuss this scandal, which is going from bad to worse. I have two amazing colleagues who are no longer here in the House. One of them was my colleague from Beauport—Limoilou, who sat on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, and the o…
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Mr. Speaker, I do hope things turn around. I hope that when we come back in September, the clerk will have had time to get to the bottom of this and recover the stolen money. It would be nice if we could put some measures in place to ensure that there are calls for tender rather than endless subcontracts. It would also be nice to be able to restore the reputation of public servants and recognize t…
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Mr. Speaker, WE Charity was my initiation. As new members, we spent the entire summer probing a contract that had been awarded. It is normal to move quickly. It is normal to take action when there is an emergency. However, there are two ways of going about it. We can try to put out a forest fire with a small pail or, on the contrary, we can look at what is happening and make sure we have the right…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this question because people need to have this information. Some of those who are watching at home will be looking for a few dollars, either for summer jobs or through the New Horizons for Seniors program. If there is one sentence missing from their financial report or if their budget is not balanced, then they will not get their $1,000 in support. I just took a conflict …
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Mr. Speaker, if the government cannot prove that it has everything it needs to balance the budget or at least keep the deficit as low as possible, it is because it gives us the impression that it is the world's leading expert on the economy. Unfortunately, that does not hold water. People are worried, and we are wondering what will happen in the coming months with regard to our finances and the fi…
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Mr. Speaker, I always appreciate genuine collaboration. I spoke of goodies because, when money is given away, what people do with it is beyond the government's control. I would like to see some concrete figures showing that any additional money given is used for survival purposes. The day I have those figures, I will discuss the matter again. I would like to take this opportunity to talk about cli…
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Mr. Speaker, since this is the first time I am speaking in this new Parliament, I will take the opportunity to say a few thank yous. I have had the privilege and honour of representing the people of Laurentides—Labelle since 2019. This is my third term. First, I want to thank the 23,615 people who chose the Bloc Québécois. To all the others, as I said during the election campaign, I want them to k…
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Mr. Speaker, I would first like to congratulate my new Liberal colleague. Speaking of homework, we could make a list of important things for the government to do. Does my colleague agree with me that, if we are to agree on measures, then the first thing on the government's homework list should be to table a budget?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague because I forgot to mention that. That is another concrete example. Just ask an actuary. When they plug in the numbers, they can see that it costs a lot more for people to insure their property these days. Not only does the government need to table a budget, but it also needs to recognize that climate change is costing us a lot of money. That is what…
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Mr. Speaker, my question is fairly simple. Speaking of common sense, on Friday, Ottawa was the most polluted city in the world because of the forest fires that are unfortunately out of control. Now Europe is being affected. Does my colleague agree that climate change is caused by the fossil fuel industry?
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne announced that the time frames for launching major federal projects would be shortened. I am very worried about the environment. I am especially worried about one thing in particular. Will the government commit to respecting the findings of the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement regarding oil projects and other such things?
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, we are speaking out against this inconsistent approach, because the Bloc Québécois is concerned with more than just preparing for the next election. Lobbyists are exerting pressure and the economy needs to stay afloat. In the meantime, however, the planet is burning. My colleague just mentioned that climate change is being brushed aside. I would like to ask him a question: Is it not t…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I listened closely to my colleague's speech. It is no secret that there is a lot missing. Members may already know this, but I am extremely disappointed. We were told that we need to work quickly to reassure people. Here we are with a Speech from the Throne that is missing so much. I will give an example. We are well aware that people 65 to 74, seniors, are victims of discrimination. …
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, let me begin by congratulating you on your appointment. This is my first speech in this Parliament and I am very proud to be here for a third term. The question I want to ask my colleague is quite simple. In Laurentides—Labelle, the processing industry and our farmers are facing extremely serious challenges. We know what we need when it comes to supply management. I would therefore li…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today I want to pay tribute to Amélie Duceppe. That last name may ring a bell for some of my colleagues. They probably know about the Duceppe theatre company, which she heads, and its long tradition of excellence in Quebec theatre. The newspaper Les Affaires has honoured Amélie Duceppe as president and CEO of the year for 2024 in the social economy category. After her aunt Louise pass…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, on May 15, at Quebec's symposium on sustainable tourism, more than 100 stakeholders in Quebec's winter tourism sector sounded the alarm. Lack of snow is threatening to plunge winter tourism into an unprecedented crisis. Last Saturday, that threat became a reality. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation, in conjunction with the resort, cancelled the Alpine Ski World Cup women…
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Mr. Speaker, how about some mixed Liberal-NDP improv? The theme is: climbing in the polls. The duration is: the length of time allocation. This is like bad improv. Quebec's national improv league could do better—at least they are prepared for what they are getting into. I am ashamed of what I am seeing. I wish it were a joke or just a skit, but unfortunately it is not. What we are witnessing is to…
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Mr. Speaker, I have to accept the fact that every time we vote with a party, there is an alliance. As I said, the Bloc Québécois always asks the same question. Is this good for Quebec? If so, then we vote in favour of it. Is this bad for Quebec and Quebeckers? If it is bad, then we vote against it. We are not voting against this measure because we are an opposition party. We are voting against it …
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Mr. Speaker, of course, things are different in Quebec, and there will be a shortfall. However, I am primarily concerned about the real cost to individuals. I am no tax expert, but from a tax perspective, it is certainly something of a headache. There will be enormous consequences, if only in terms of corporate taxes or filing corporate returns. This will clearly be harmful to Quebec and we have n…
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Mr. Speaker, it is one thing for someone who earns $100,000 to get a temporary discount on luxury items. However, people who are using food banks are spending their money on necessities that are not even taxed. These people will not be going out to eat in restaurants. They still will not be able to afford to. If we really want to help those people, we need to look at the necessities: a roof over o…
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Mr. Speaker, if we vote against the bill tonight, we should not do so just because we are in the opposition, and if we vote for the bill, we should not do so just because we think that, when all is said and done, it might help a few people. We need to look at the big picture. I am not going to ask my colleague why she is voting in favour of the bill, but I will ask her the following question. Does…
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Mr. Speaker, it may be late, but that does not mean my colleagues cannot behave themselves. If they cannot, they should go to bed. They can vote electronically. I would like to know if, early on, the Liberals thought about the impact on businesses, which will have to make this very temporary change and implement it very quickly. Were the Liberals aware of the impact?
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, let us be honest. Technically speaking, we are doing the work that the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs should be doing, that is, receiving questions of privilege. I have been here quite a number of years now. I think that all of my colleagues who want what is best for their voters are unanimous in feeling it is time to move on. I have a hard time understanding how th…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers are appalled by the mistreatment and poor education at Bedford school. Obviously, more needs to be done for secularism in our schools. However, while we want to do more, the federal government wants to do less. Even though it is clear that Bill 21 does not go far enough, Ottawa wants to challenge it. Bill 21 protects children's right to a secular public education. After wha…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise to highlight the 70th anniversary of the St-Vincent-de-Paul Conference in Mont-Laurier. This flagship organization has played a crucial role in the community for decades, running a second-hand store where clothing, furniture and household items are offered at a lower cost. It also has a community hall that it makes available to seniors and social gro…
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Mr. Speaker, what happened at Bedford school involved adults violating the principle of secularism in our schools and prioritizing their own will over the children's well-being. It is children, not adults, who are the priority in our schools. Attacking Bill 21 is the opposite. Bill 21, specifically clause 4, protects the right of every individual to receive secular public services. It is Bill 21 t…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today I want to acknowledge Sylvie Bolduc, general manager of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation in the Laurentians for the past 15 years. She is stepping down to take her well-deserved retirement. I want to highlight her remarkable contribution to the development of many large-scale economic projects in the Laurentians that have had a tremendous impact. She set up Synergie Écon…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition to support improving regional cellular coverage, which is critical for public safety. Access to cell phones is fundamental to land use. Cellular connectivity is a real social, community and economic driver for a modern society. The lack of coverage in some areas of Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides causes service issues for residents. Cellular connectivit…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, we in the Bloc Québécois are responsible, and it turns out that we are the adults in the room. When I tell my constituents that, in her report on Sustainable Development Technology Canada, the Auditor General stated that in 90 cases, representing a total of $76 million in funding, there were conflicts of interest and that the government must be held accountable, I think that is being …
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, there are critical moments in the life of a democracy, and today is one of them. The government has once again demonstrated how inconsistent it is through its blatant incompetence in managing public programs and its inability to ensure transparent and effective accountability. It is not complicated. The total lack of robust oversight and accountability mechanisms within the current go…
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Mr. Speaker, I think we need to go back to the beginning. When there is an order of the House indicating that the documents requested have not been produced and the House refers that obligation to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to shed some light on it, that does not mean recommending that the RCMP investigate. We said so yesterday. It is about respect for the institution. T…
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Mr. Speaker, I am so discouraged. When we go out into the communities, people stop and talk to us and ask us what is going on, what is happening to our democracy. Our party has to shed light on this affair, denounce the secrets and ensure that the institutions are respected. Partisanship has no place in any of this. There is so much talk about elections these days. Today, we are talking about an i…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the distribution of asylum seekers has been the subject of a lot of political games recently. Everyone needs to get their act together on this. Quebec has exceeded its integration capacity. Our public services are overwhelmed. More and more asylum seekers are living in inhumane, precarious conditions every day. Any government that refuses to do its part to help with the distribution o…
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Mr. Speaker, while everyone is passing the buck, Quebec continues to add tens of thousands of asylum seekers every month to its overloaded system. While the federal government lacks leadership and the provinces lack humanity, in Quebec the problems are getting worse. For years Quebec has been welcoming a disproportionate share of asylum seekers in Canada, while Canada completely dodges its respons…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's comments. I am pleased to know that his party will not be supporting the government on this, because transparency is needed, and that can be achieved at the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, of which I am a member. There is some good news. My colleague seems to have a strategy, based on what he just said. His party wants to shed some light …
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Madam Speaker, my question is very simple. The opposition leader, who badly wants to trigger an election, has had several opportunities to present his plan. I am not talking about the four items he mentions, we know that song by heart. He declines invitations to participate in a debate with the leader of the Bloc Québécois in front of the national media. Why?
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Mr. Speaker, we not only need to read it, but we also want to have it in both official languages.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I feel like I am at the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, so I will do what I usually do. An amendment has been moved, but let us get back to where this started. There was an order of the House that was not complied with. Once again, the government is trying to find a way to hide or be unable to provide the information we need. The goal is to ensure that we have the i…
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Madam Speaker, now I understand why we get so few answers during question period. It is because we call it “question period” and not “question and answer period”. This afternoon, perhaps we can dare to hope that the government will give us an answer. My question is very simple. I want to know if the government is going to proceed with the irreversible implementation of two bills that the Bloc Québ…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, for me, September 20 is a day to celebrate. On September 20, 2021, the voters of Laurentides—Labelle renewed my mandate. They reaffirmed their trust in me for a second time. Today, I must thank them once again. I want them to know that I will always strive to respect and honour the trust they have placed in me. This is my 11th time coming back to the House after a break. Since this …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, my dictionary defines the word “visionary” as being able to anticipate, having true insight into the future. Frédéric Broué, mayor of Sainte‑Agathe‑des‑Monts, was named a municipal visionary by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities last April. Under his leadership, the town of Sainte‑Agathe‑des‑Monts is transforming at lightning speed. Frédéric Broué entered the 2021 mayoral race …
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