Parliamentary Speeches
342 speeches by Marie-Hélène Gaudreau — Page 4 of 7
Government Orders
Madam Speaker, indeed, I am very concerned about our resources. When we visit other Parliaments, it is clear that their staffing requirements are different, given that we have two official languages. In fact, what worries me is all the damage that has occurred with the use of Zoom and the resulting acoustic bursts. All the partners who met with us said that the education system needs to be involve…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, with whom I have had many hours of debate. I was wondering about something. I have to confess that, in my two short terms, I have sat the same number of hours in person and virtually. I therefore have little experience in terms of knowing all the benefits. Considering that my colleague from Alberta has many more years of experience, I am hoping he can help me u…
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Madam Speaker, I will answer all three questions even though they were asked by only one person. First, in my mind, a pilot project must be evaluated for results that can be applied permanently. We had three years of practice. We met with experts. We have a result and that is the report. What I heard from my colleague is that they will not be using all the work we did. It has been shelved. He said…
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Mr. Speaker, since I have 20 minutes of speaking time, I would like to tell my colleague that when I saw the member for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, I did not actually see her. I will say from the outset that I will be voting against Government Motion No. 26, as are all my Bloc Québécois colleagues. We talked about it and reached an agreement. We are going to vote against the motion in order to uph…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear that Quebec is serving as a model once again. My question for my colleague is quite simple. Can she guarantee that there will be no encroachment on Quebec's jurisdiction in civil matters? That is my real concern and it will set the tone in terms of how we vote.
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Mr. Speaker, we have been talking about this every day since February. Everyone is calling for an independent public inquiry. That includes Canada's former chief electoral officer, former intelligence officials and senior officials, not to mention the public, minorities threatened by the Chinese regime and the House of Commons. Of course there will be in camera meetings, as is the case with any in…
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Mr. Speaker, now that David Johnston has stepped down, we are back at square one. The government has been trying to avoid an inquiry for almost four months now. The Bloc Québécois salutes the fact that the government is showing signs of openness today, but after four months, the government really needs to get its act together. We need an independent public commission of inquiry. The commissioner m…
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Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to acknowledge the initiative of the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, who tabled Bill C-252. The purpose of the bill is to amend the Food and Drugs Act to prohibit food and beverage marketing directed at persons under the age of 13. Young people have a very difficult relationship with images. I am the mother of two young adults, so I talk to teens a lot. I ca…
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Madam Speaker, it is 2023. Earlier in my speech, I mentioned that in 2002 Jacques Chirac said that our house is burning, that the earth is burning. This government will soon have been in power for eight years. All of a sudden, they are thinking about changing course. Meanwhile, we should already be seeing the positive effects of the shift that should have started in 2015.
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Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague from Abitibi—Témiscamingue. What he said was really touching. I will approach the issue from a different perspective. One of my daughters is in Spain right now. The images she is seeing from the sky above my home in Lac‑des‑Écorces worry her, and her sister is also very worried. My daughters are 16 and 18 years old. I do not know what to say to th…
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Madam Speaker, I am not a fan of looking back to the past, but I would like it if people took responsibility. There needs to be a shift, starting today. Enough is enough. All parliamentarians need to take action and take responsibility. That is what I want to see. If the Conservatives ever form government, what will they do? That worries me. I have no idea what to say to my children who are living…
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Madam Speaker, the situation is alarming. We are very worried. I would like to thank all those who are showing such solidarity. When a fire travels 15 metres a minute, it is frightening.
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Mr. Speaker, the government is constantly accusing the opposition parties of partisanship on the foreign interference file. Actually, we are asking for an independent public inquiry so as to be as far from partisanship as possible. The Liberals responded with a rapporteur who was appointed by the Prime Minister and only reports to the Prime Minister. The Conservative Party, the Bloc Québécois, the…
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Madam Speaker, I will be very brief. This whole charade is impressive. Everything that has happened since Friday has been things I did not want to see or hear, and I can say that because the Bloc is not looking to form government. It has been about partisanship, foreign interference, climate change and forest fires come early. However, when I go back to my riding, I see that seniors are being aban…
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Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to find out the truth about interference because the Prime Minister refuses to reveal it. He is trying to lure the opposition leaders into keeping his forced secrets. In a dramatic turn of events, David Johnston admitted that he also did not have access to the whole truth before he determined that a public inquiry was not needed. The Prime Minister has two choices. He …
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Madam Speaker, we lost interpretation a few moments ago.
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Mr. Speaker, David Johnston has yet to answer what is actually a simple question, and the same goes for the government. If the federal government was able to hold a public and independent inquiry in the Maher Arar affair, which implicated the secret services of foreign countries, if the federal government was able to hold a public and independent inquiry into the Air India bombing, which implicate…
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Mr. Speaker, this government talks about opposition leaders but says nothing about China's interference. That is what we need to address, and yet, as a result of the Johnston report, there will be no inquiry into the Chinese police stations, no inquiry into the electoral candidates backed by China, no inquiry into the intimidation of the Chinese diaspora, and no inquiry into the threats against ou…
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Mr. Speaker, an NDP member, a Conservative member, and the former leader of the official opposition have all been the target of threats, and I am sure that others have been too. However, the Prime Minister is telling us that the opposition is creating a toxic climate. Come on. The toxic climate stems from the fact that our electoral system is under threat and that the government only wants to talk…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are telling us that an inquiry would not be effective because there are too many national security issues. However, they launched a commission of inquiry into Maher Arar. They tell us that they have taken concrete measures to ensure the integrity of the electoral system. Since then, at least three opposition members have been threatened. They are telling us not to be part…
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Mr. Speaker, according to rapporteur David Johnston, Chinese interference is everyone's fault. Yes, it is the fault of the media, CSIS and officials. In short, it is everyone's fault except that of China and, above all, that of the government. Seriously, the government wants an inquiry into Chinese interference that does not talk about China's interference or about the Liberals, who were the targe…
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Mr. Speaker, to hear that we will finally be able to make the use of wood a priority is music to my ears. I was around during the forestry crisis in Quebec back in the 2000s. After the decision to go green, it became clear how little information about the use of wood had reached insurers, schools and future engineers and architects. Quebec has had a proven track record for more than a decade. In m…
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Mr. Speaker, it is incredible what the government would have us swallow if we were to accept Mr. Johnston's findings. The investigation into Chinese interference would not be about interference, simply about the bureaucratic process. David Johnston, the man chosen by the Prime Minister, would be at the helm to the very end. Furthermore, his findings would only be disclosed behind closed doors to p…
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Madam Speaker, someone mentioned political strategy earlier. What I said earlier in my remarks was that this needs to be addressed, because it is serious. With my colleague leading the way, the Bloc Québécois has put pressure on the government to stop. People are being shot down in the street. At some point, the government needs to wake up and take action. Yes, certain measures can be taken, but i…
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Mr. Speaker, we have been calling for an independent commission of public inquiry for months. From threats against MPs to funding for the Trudeau Foundation, everything we are hearing justifies a serious inquiry. The government is telling us that it is taking action. How? With these new directives, CSIS will seek, whenever possible, to ensure, in a timely manner, that parliamentarians are perhaps …
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Madam Speaker, I would like to mention that I will be sharing my time with my hon. colleague, the member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue. I rise today to speak to Bill C-21, an act to amend certain acts and to make certain consequential amendments with respect to firearms. To begin, I would like to say that, as everyone knows, I will be voting in favour of Bill C‑21. The reason is that, thanks to the ef…
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Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question. With what is happening with the different parties, I believe that there is always more we can do. The Bloc Québécois acts according to its conscience, intellect and solely in the interest of our people. I believe that answers the question that the opposition parties, especially the Bloc, which keeps the interests of Quebeckers in the forefront, are not…
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Madam Speaker, this is a very specific example of the importance of listening to our constituents and representing them. When we consult people, when we listen to them and understand them, then we need to act on what they say. That is exactly what the Bloc Québécois did with the red flag provision.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are still waiting to hear back from their rapporteur, but what alternative does he have except to recommend an independent public inquiry? There is no other option. China targeted three members with threats. One Liberal was alleged to have been involved in the Chinese interference somehow. Interference is making headlines every day. The matter obviously warrants an inquir…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of Laurentides—Labelle to speak to Bill S-5, the strengthening environmental protection for a healthier Canada act. I want to begin by saying that the Bloc Québécois is in favour in principle of the bill. However, a word of caution: Agreeing in principle does not mean signing a blank cheque. As my colleagues know, our party is highly allergic to …
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Madam Speaker, there is a serious problem. The interpretation is not working. Perhaps some headsets are not working properly. Can that be checked?
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Madam Speaker, I would like to hear some more details, specifically about whether this bill does anything to guarantee a healthy environment. How does the member explain the fact that this bill is primarily technical, despite the seriousness of the climate crisis? It is really too bad that the bill's sponsor did not have the guts to consider what might happen after Bill S-5 passes.
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Madam Speaker, when the government implements small measures, it often does so to ease its conscience. Had it had the courage to act, it would have overhauled the environmental law. We are among the laggards. It is embarrassing when we go abroad and are told about the state of our law. I believe that answers my colleague's question
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Madam Speaker, how can they say that they listened to the proposals, took action, accepted the changes to the legislation, when they ignored the individuals themselves, for example from the forestry industry, who were consulted and who provided recommendations? The proposals presented by the Bloc Québécois came from the forestry industry. I am having a hard time understanding why the recommendatio…
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Madam Speaker, I told the people of Laurentides—Labelle that we had an example in the promise to plant two billion trees by 2030. People are wondering. Are they really going to change the law to try to have a healthy environment when they are so behind in everything I just outlined in the past few minutes? People need to have more confidence and to hear from all parliamentarians. This is not about…
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Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister was notified by CSIS that candidates in his party might be getting support from Chinese authorities, he did nothing and said nothing. When he was notified by CSIS that members of Parliament and their families were victims of threats and intimidation, he did nothing and said nothing. Can the Prime Minister tell the House with a straight face that if the threats …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, from what I understood, they are trying to buy time. If there was any real desire to shed light on this and confidence in what has been done, they would act quickly so as to set the record straight for our constituents. Only those who are not sure whether they are sure and who now know what they did not know before need to buy time. That is why the government delegated all this to a…
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Madam Speaker, exactly 182 days have passed since November 7, the date on which Global News reporter Sam Cooper informed the public that China's united front work department had attempted to influence the 2019 election. Then, we learned from other media outlets that China had also attempted to influence the 2021 election. I cannot emphasize enough how serious these allegations are. The cornerstone…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's remarks, and there is a lot to worry about. That is what I said earlier today. Although we still have several hours of debate ahead of us, I have a question. Holding an independent public inquiry is an essential condition. Will the NDP stance be aligned with its core values when there are votes in the House? Will the NDP stand behind democracy an…
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Madam Speaker, given what is happening here tonight, the situation is critical. I have been here since 2019. Unfortunately, every time this government has taken real action to ensure that Canadians continue to have confidence in our institutions, it was because we made every effort to keep the issue in the spotlight and make sure that the government could not avoid it. Unfortunately, I feel like I…
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Madam Speaker, in my opinion, and I believe in the opinion of many leaders who have walked this earth, humility is about saying what is going on, presenting the facts and indicating what needs to be done, while respecting the wishes of the House of Commons. Each party has made proposals. As I have said several times in question period, I look forward to getting another registry because I am very c…
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Madam Speaker, there are many worthwhile suggestions, but if the government wants to instill confidence, then it needs to be more neutral. If the government wants to show that what it is doing is not partisan, then it needs to be as neutral and impartial as possible for the sake of democracy and for the sake of all Quebeckers and Canadians. In order to do that, the first step is for the House to c…
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Madam Speaker, that was the very essence of what we recommended. When I speak to my children, I tell them that if they want impartiality, they must agree to choose a person who will get to the bottom of things. Otherwise, if one person chooses someone, there is something fishy going on. It is possible that everything will be fine in the end, but there is too much ambiguity. Had we in the House cho…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was informed, as early as 2021, that a member of the opposition was being targeted by threats from China. He did nothing. Today, he is refusing to either confirm or deny the information obtained by The Globe and Mail that China could be targeting other members of Parliament. We are simply asking him to tell us whether there are others and whether they are aware of t…
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Mr. Speaker, why are we still talking about this today? It is because the Liberals have chosen their culture of secrecy over full transparency. It is their culture of secrecy that increases foreign interference: secrecy about China's connections through the Trudeau Foundation; secrecy about China interfering in democracy; secrecy about Chinese threats towards the family of an elected official. Fro…
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Mr. Speaker, let me begin on a high note by talking about the riding of Laurentides—Labelle, which I am honoured to represent. Three concerns keep coming up every time I speak with my constituents: the housing shortage, support for seniors and, above all, employment insurance. The Deputy Prime Minister's budget makes no mention of any of those concerns. One would think that these were not serious …
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Mr. Speaker, now that question period is over, my text is truly up to date. Earlier, we were talking about employment insurance, and we are extremely disappointed that it is not part of the budget. The Bloc Québécois members are the ones that can actually stand up for Quebeckers. I often hope that the Liberals from Quebec will bring the government to its senses. If they did, we might not have the …
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Madam Speaker, when we say that there is nothing, there is nothing with respect to the recommendations made, there is nothing to meet seniors' specific needs. What should we say to a 66-year-old worker who returns to work and wants to contribute to society? After earning a few thousand dollars, there are no tax measures to help him out. He is told he will receive a little help to pay for groceries…
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Madam Speaker, the energy transition has been under way for quite some time. When I explain to my constituents that the government is going to help companies like Muskrat Falls, it is shocking. With all the taxes paid by Quebec taxpayers, we managed to get Hydro-Québec. On top of that, the Liberals are creating obstacles for the energy transition by helping the oil companies. It is very difficult …
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Madam Speaker, are we surprised? No, because there are two classes of seniors. Accordingly, it is clear the government will continue using a system that isolates people instead of looking at the broader community. The Bloc Québécois is very sensitive when it comes to this; we do not believe in stigmatizing people.
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