Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, there are currently 130,000 jobs in the electric mobility sector in this country and many of those jobs are in Quebec. That number is expected to triple by 2035. Quebec does not manufacture gas-powered vehicles. It manufactures electric buses, light-duty electric trucks, heavy-duty electric trucks, trains and streetcars. Quebec can do that and is interested in developing the component…
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec has everything to gain from quickly moving away from oil and gas. Over $10 billion per year is leaving Quebec on oil purchases alone. Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Conservatives, oil companies and auto manufacturers are all working against electrification. We hope that this government will stand up and propose measures to help Quebec break free of oil and gas, rather than…
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Mr. Speaker, in our view, the Conservatives' proposal is utterly backward. Quebec is a leader in transportation electrification, and it needs the federal government's support. That means implementing ambitious measures, but the government's latest auto strategy is not ambitious, unfortunately. In terms of targets, it is not enough. There is also absolutely nothing in it about medium- and heavy-dut…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by saying that the Bloc Québécois does not support the Conservative Party's motion. In fact, by moving yet another motion on the auto sector, the Conservatives are unfortunately confusing the interests of Ontarians with the interests of Quebeckers. They are also protecting the interests of Canadian auto manufacturers, which are lagging behind internationally comp…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like my colleague to talk about the investor-state dispute settlement, which, among other things, allows investors to sue states directly before an international tribunal. In the North American Free Trade Agreement, there was a provision in Chapter 11 that was removed when the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement was renewed in 2020. This chapter was abolished so that multina…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to add to what my colleague said earlier. We share some concerns about things like agriculture and meat. My Bloc Québécois colleague proposed an amendment in committee that would essentially have required the bill to be conditional on a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the U.K. to ensure that Canadian meat can get into the U.K. Can my colleague explain why his pa…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to know whether my colleague agrees with the carbon capture and sequestration tax credit increase and extension for oil and gas companies. Our Conservative colleagues often object to spending public funds this way or handing out subsidies. However, do they consider this direct subsidy to oil companies, owned in large part by Americans already making billions in profits, t…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear my colleague's comments on scrapping the Digital Services Tax Act, which made it possible to tax large digital companies with sales figures greater than $750 million. That was supposed to bring in about $1.5 billion a year for culture and regional media. Does my colleague agree that this much-discussed digital services tax should be reinstated?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the $5-billion cut to the Canada public transit fund is unacceptable. Alliance TRANSIT denounced it this morning, and the cities have too. A coalition of organizations such as Équiterre, Trajectoire Québec, Vivre en Ville and many others is accusing the federal government of causing harm to users, to public transit, to mobility and to the government's own climate objectives. Worse sti…
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Mr. Speaker, as we speak, there are 130,000 jobs in Canada in what is known as the electromobility sector, which is everything related to electric mobility. Obviously, in Quebec, we manufacture batteries, we have exemplary electrification and we have charging stations, so jobs could increase to more than 300,000 by 2035. If the automotive industry insists on clinging to a model from the last centu…
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Mr. Speaker, as we have seen in several respects, we need a comprehensive vision. For example, the government is saying that it is going to invest in the electrification of transport, but it is backtracking on the goals it had a year ago. It has cut $5 billion in funding for public transit and removed the oil and gas emissions cap. It is proposing a new pipeline that would carry a million barrels …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to understand what our Conservative colleagues are trying to accomplish. The government backed down on consumer carbon pricing. It introduced Bill C‑5 to suspend environmental laws and build pipelines. It added more money for oil and gas subsidies in the last budget. There was a pipeline project for a million barrels a day and an additional 300,000 barrels a day for Trans…
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Mr. Speaker, once again, our Conservative colleagues' attitude is not at all constructive, particularly when it comes to the fight against climate change. What people need to understand is that behind their motion lies a desire to do away with almost all of Canada's climate change policies, and they have been somewhat successful in accomplishing that so far. Their motion covers up the fact that th…
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Mr. Speaker, obviously there are some parts required in the manufacturing of EVs that are made in the United States. The question is, why are they not staying in Canada and why are they not being used to assemble EVs in Canada? Once again, the answer is because the government refuses to put real pressure on manufacturers. Billions of dollars are being handed out. We hope that their new strategy wi…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear my colleague about the government wanting to shorten environmental assessments from five years to two years in spite of the extremely sensitive context of Mirabel.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge two of my colleagues, Caroline Mireault and Daniel Tessier, who are celebrating their 10th year of service in the riding. These people support us, and they are also the ones who field comments from constituents who see projects like this coming and wonder, for example, why there is no consultation in their town. Representatives of t…
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Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, what I have witnessed since the start of this new Parliament is that the entire Quebec contingent on the government benches always toes the government line. They are not here to defend Quebec's interests. My colleague's question is entirely hypothetical, because I doubt that even a single Quebec Liberal member will rise to support the motion calling on the government to…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should never have cancelled the rebates for buying electric vehicles. It is good news, then, that they are being reinstated for vehicles manufactured here or in countries with which we have free trade agreements, such as European countries. The problem is that the federal government is blocking affordable electric cars from Europe. Ottawa has decided that these cars, whic…
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Mr. Speaker, if things were done properly, there would be a real environmental assessment, a real project and a real authority that people could trust. Then people could have their say. At this point, that is not the case. Normally, a final project is presented for people to comment on. In this case, there is only a 10-kilometre-wide route, and people are worried about that. Above all, they do not…
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Mr. Speaker, today is a particularly important day for us because it reminds us, among other things, of the deep wounds we carry. After all, we are talking about nearly 2,000 families who were literally uprooted by the construction of the Mirabel airport in 1969. Those scars have not yet healed. What we are seeing today is a certain arrogance and a lack of consideration, and that is why our motion…
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Mr. Speaker, I will turn the question back to our Liberal colleagues. Why will they not apologize? It is unbelievable. They have no reason not to. I think that they need to rise above the fray for once. What we expect from this government is respect for the people and respect for Mirabel.
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Mr. Speaker, restoring purchase incentives for vehicles is a small step forward, but that only matters if the vehicles can actually get into the country. This does not erase the Liberals' generational setbacks on sustainable mobility. They have cut $5 billion from public transit while subsidizing oil companies to the tune of tens of billions of dollars. They are making deals with Alberta for a dir…
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What a shameful lack of consideration for the public. Mr. Speaker, this is very concerning. The Liberals' condescending approach is to push projects through without any real discussion. That breeds mistrust, even with respect to potentially positive initiatives to support things like the fight against climate change and transportation for Canadians, and especially for Quebeckers. What we are seein…
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Mr. Speaker, let us go back to the reason for this opposition day. We are talking about Mirabel and the need for an apology. With all due respect to my colleague and his question, I am a bit disappointed that he did not comment on the Mirabel case. That said, we already know the answer. People want more consultations, real meetings, in more places, with more dates, not just displays, but actual, p…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to call attention to the meteoric rise of a Repentigny resident who is redefining the limits of what is possible. His name is Thomas Fafard. Thomas has proven that even the longest-lasting records are no barrier to him; they are an invitation to excel. During his very first marathon on January 14, he beat Alain Bordeleau, the 40-year record holder. That was a first…
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Mr. Speaker, it is always odd to hear the Liberals say that they feel they are still dedicated to fighting climate change after all the backtracking we have seen and after they basically abandoned the climate plan that was put in place in the previous Parliament. When it comes to carbon pricing, yes, we are concerned. Negotiations are currently under way with Alberta, and we know that Alberta is b…
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Mr. Speaker, when it comes to carbon pricing, the Canadian Climate Institute has put data on the table. It is very, very clear. These are scientific facts, and I would love to see studies that prove otherwise from our Conservative colleagues, who claim that industrial carbon pricing has an impact on food prices. That is not the case. Unfortunately, once again, this is part of their populism and de…
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Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, my Conservative colleagues do not want to talk about it, but the fight against climate change still matters. Climate change and the climate crisis did not go away when the newly elected President of the United States took office and implemented his trade and tariff policies. We still have a crisis. How can we develop the economy without increasing oil and gas production…
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Mr. Speaker, I thought that yesterday was Groundhog Day, but it seems to be happening again today. Everyone is probably familiar with the movie where the same day repeats itself over and over again. Once again, we have a Conservative Party motion that, unfortunately, exploits the hardship of Canadians who are struggling to put food on the table to serve the interests of the Conservatives' beloved …
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Mr. Speaker, the most generational thing about the Liberal record is Canada's climate betrayal. According to the former environment minister, the government's abandonment of all its green policies in favour of an oil deal with Alberta is a fire sale. The Liberals' shift to oil will scuttle any chance of meeting the greenhouse gas reduction targets. They are sacrificing everything older Quebeckers …
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Madam Speaker, I would like to hear what my colleague has to say about a major problem that Bill C‑12 does not resolve. According to the union, the Canada Border Services Agency is short between 2,000 and 3,000 officers. Does my colleague have any thoughts on this?
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Madam Speaker, let us be clear. What we are talking about today is an Alberta-Canada oil and gas agreement that amounts to literal climate betrayal. Canada is abandoning its greenhouse gas reduction targets. It is abandoning all of the environmental policies it has put in place over the past 10 years. It is abandoning biodiversity by revoking measures like the west coast oil tanker ban. It is aban…
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Madam Speaker, I invite my colleague to read what the Assembly of First Nations of Canada very clearly said. It wants the agreement to be withdrawn. Its members unanimously opposed lifting the oil tanker ban. The Premier of British Columbia has also been very clear. He was not consulted, and he does not support a pipeline that would go through first nations territory. I think this is very clear. A…
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Madam Speaker, obviously we support electrification because we know we need to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. However, we do not believe we have to give the nuclear industry billions of dollars to generate more electricity for data centres. Perhaps my colleague misunderstood something. Our party is fully aligned with the goal of becoming a clean energy and renewable electricity sup…
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Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague and I may indeed look a bit alike, but we certainly do not think alike. Oil and gas in Canada is going from strength to strength. Production is going up, and so are emissions. No one on the other side of the House has shut down the oil and gas industry. On the contrary, the government is rolling out the red carpet for the industry and putting billions of dollars on…
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Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister was elected because he promised that he would resolve the tariff and trade crisis very quickly, but things just keep getting worse. It is extremely concerning to see that jobs are being lost in Quebec right now. We are losing jobs that might not have been lost if the government had invested in and listened to forestry companies, for example, which are asking for v…
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Madam Speaker, unsurprisingly, I disagree with my colleague. This budget does not meet any of the Bloc's very specific demands. We asked for assistance for seniors and an increase in health transfers to Quebec. We also asked for a measure to help young families buy their first home, particularly those who are having difficulty saving for a down payment. More than anything, we wanted the Liberals t…
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Mr. Speaker, it should come as no surprise that the Bloc Québécois will not be supporting Bill C‑15, the budget implementation bill. We were very clear during the vote. The Bloc Québécois is the only party that stood firm. We had a number of reasons for rejecting this budget. Obviously, it is a big bill. It is 650 pages long, contains 80 legislative measures, and amends 49 laws. What we have is a …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like my colleague to comment on what the government inserted on page 300 of its bill. We see it as the same thing as Bill C‑5, but on steroids. They government slipped in a hidden amendment that allows any minister to exempt any entity from the application of any federal law but the Criminal Code for a period of three years. Does my colleague agree with that?
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Madam Speaker, I would like to hear what my hon. colleague has to say about the oil and gas subsidies set out in the latest budget. It is taxpayer money. We are talking about a multi-billion dollar increase in the amounts that will be paid to oil and gas companies for a carbon capture and storage technology that is unproven, that has not been used on a large scale and that is extremely expensive. …
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Madam Speaker, I think the answer is quite simple. This government, and the Prime Minister especially, is unreliable when it comes to the environment. It cannot be trusted. The backsliding that followed the last budget was straight off the oil and gas companies' wish list. The government is ticking off every item on that list like clockwork. Since this government came to power, its environmental r…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, as mentioned, the Bloc Québécois supports Motion No. 15. This motion concerns ecological gifts. Among other things, it proposes that the House recognize certain principles regarding the importance of conserving private land to protect biodiversity, and that the government consider tax measures to promote this type of conservation. The public issue that we are discussing is the preserv…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my hon. colleague on his initiative, which we will support. I also want to congratulate the hon. member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie for acting on conviction over the past few days. He stood his ground, showed courage, and decided to resign from cabinet because of the marked retreat from, not to say abandonment of, the fight against climate change. The hon. member f…
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Mr. Speaker, despite what the minister says, Quebeckers did not vote for the Liberals so they could give up on climate action and turn Canada into global problem. They also did not vote for the Liberals to get a pipeline rammed down a province's throat. They did not vote for the Liberals to make our children live through a growing number of natural disasters. Quebeckers did not vote for that, and …
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to build a single economy. He did not lie because he did build a single economy, a dirty oil economy out west. Not one inch of the pipelines he wants to impose under the pretext of standing up to Donald Trump will be built during Trump's presidency, but they will pollute for 40 years. This is a betrayal not only of Quebeckers, but also of countries that hav…
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Mr. Speaker, people never even saw the current government's real oil and gas agenda. During the election campaign, the Liberals did not say a word about the fact that they were even more in favour of oil and gas than the Conservatives, who never approved a pipeline project under Stephen Harper. Yes, people were tricked.
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Mr. Speaker, I completely share my colleague's concerns about how difficult it is for young families, among others, to buy a home and to save up enough money for a down payment. Obviously, we support the GST measure, but we think it needs to be complemented by other measures. The biggest obstacle to home ownership is how hard it is to save up a down payment. With house prices continuing to rise, i…
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Mr. Speaker, we are simply asking the question. If the government really intended to move forward with the decent measures in its budget, why is it presenting everything as a take-it-or-leave-it package? Why did it not split it up so that we could support the decent initiatives? What we are being asked to do is swallow a bitter pill in exchange for a few small, interesting measures. Looking at the…
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Mr. Speaker, we believe that it is actually possible to grow the economy, help people cope with the rising cost of living, including insurance premiums and groceries, while also fighting climate change and developing the jobs of the future. Yes, we are concerned about the cost of living and access to home ownership. That is one of the reasons why we proposed two key measures that we wanted to see …
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Mr. Speaker, our Conservative colleagues say nothing about the roughly $10 billion in subsidies that the Canadian government gives oil and gas companies every year. They say nothing about the $10 billion it costs Quebec to purchase hydrocarbons, oil and gas each year. That is money that leaves Quebec and goes to Alberta, among other places. That represents a cost. They say nothing about the cost o…
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