Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, my colleague from Lac-Saint-Jean put his finger on something absolutely crucial. How was this managed internally? What instructions were public servants given? Were they given proper training in a timely manner? Were they given clear and accurate information? There were cost overruns. The deputy minister told us today that about 5% of cases had errors. What is happening with the add…
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Madam Speaker, I did so right off the top. Once again, the member for Winnipeg North is being selective about what parts of this debate he listens to. The issue is the federal government's ongoing difficulty determining up-front costs. There are cost overruns. I could point to other software systems, such as the Canada Border Services Agency's assessment and revenue management system, or CARM. The…
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Madam Speaker, I want to sincerely thank the member for Richmond—Arthabaska for his leadership on this issue. He has been raising it in the House for weeks and giving specific examples from his riding. Let us talk numbers. The government is bragging about the fact that there were 85,000 cases but now there are 69,000 or even 63,000. That is the number we were given this morning. Should we be comme…
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Mr. Speaker, I move that the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, presented on Monday, March 23, be concurred in. First, I want to say that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Richmond—Arthabaska, whose co-operation on this issue has been invaluable. The motion we are debating is as follows: That the committee report to the House to request that the government…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Richmond—Arthabaska for his wise words. This member has special expertise because he served in the Quebec National Assembly, where IT cost overruns are taken seriously. When there were cost overruns of $500 million for SAAQclic, an inquiry was conducted. The Quebec government took that situation seriously. Heads rolled and the Government of Quebec learned from…
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Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded division.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her very insightful remarks. It is refreshing to hear someone talk about transparency and accountability in the House. The Cúram software was known to have glitches. Five countries have adopted the Cúram system and experienced significant glitches. Australia has been dealing with Cúram glitches for 20 years. The same goes for Ontario. In 2015, a report by th…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Shefford for her being so compassionate, for providing accurate information regarding the 85,000 affected seniors and for calling for answers and accountability from this government. Speaking of government accountability, this morning, at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Dis…
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Madam Speaker, honestly, as I listen to what the member for Winnipeg North is saying, I get the impression that everyone is to blame except the Liberals. It is the fault of seniors that they are not receiving their benefits. It is the civil servants’ fault for not implementing the program properly, because the instructions were so clear. To me, there is a problem. I heard something interesting in …
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Madam Speaker, to be honest, I suspect that the government still thinks it can pull a fast one on us. With that in mind, I think that the parliamentary secretary is once again putting himself in the minister's shoes and saying that Cúram is worth celebrating. The problem is clear: The federal government does not have the necessary expertise. According to an article in La Presse, a public servant c…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is important for me to rise in the House and speak about the Cúram software because there have been outrageous cost overruns. I will remind members of the facts. In the beginning, the project was expected to cost $1.75 billion, but it is now costing $6.6 billion. That is a cost overrun of more than $5 billion, which is almost ten times the cost of SAAQclic. In that case, Quebec too…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the parliamentary secretary for her tone of voice. It makes a refreshing change from a lot of ministers, including the Prime Minister. Obviously, we forgot to mention during this debate that errors have occurred in 85,000 cases, that some seniors have not received their benefits on time, and that many people are still waiting a year later. That is irresponsible on the …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, admitting that there is a problem is part of the solution. Every time Ottawa gets involved with IT, it is a disaster. Today the Auditor General showed us in her report that this is not over yet and that, by replacing the disastrous Phoenix software with a new system called Dayforce, the Liberals are repeating the same mistakes all over again. The Auditor General revealed that they wan…
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Mr. Speaker, I hear the Conservatives’ rhetoric. I also see it circulating on social media. The Conservatives are spreading misinformation about the Bloc’s position, and I find that quite unfortunate. The only thing the Bloc wants is for it to be illegal to use religion to promote hatred. Ultimately, we want to prevent crime from being committed in the name of religion, crimes that could have cata…
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Mr. Speaker, there has been a dramatic turn of events in the Cúram software saga. For weeks now, the Liberals have been insisting that there are no cost overruns even though costs have jumped from $1.75 billion to $6.6 billion. On Friday, the federal government admitted to the media that the $6.6-billion figure was far from a grand total. The Liberals admitted that they forgot to include operating…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his speech. We obviously wish him a speedy recovery from his cold. I would like to hear his thoughts on the situation. My colleague said that it is not up to the state to determine which religion is the right one. However, when people use religion as a pretext to commit violent, serious or deadly crimes, or when they incite hatred by hiding behin…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, for decades, summer in Quebec had a soundtrack: the subtle buzz of lights, the crack of a bat, the snapping of a leather glove and Rodger Brulotte's unique voice. He brought the melody of baseball to the soul of Quebeckers. Rodger Brulotte, a proud ambassador for our Expos, has passed away. Starting out on radio, then moving on to TV, Rodger was the voice of baseball in Quebec for mor…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, which includes my Liberal colleagues, unanimously adopted a motion calling for a commission of inquiry into the failures of the following federal IT systems: Phoenix, ArriveCAN and Cúram. The Quebec National Assembly has also unanimously called for such a commission of inquiry. The federal government's IT track record shows taxpaye…
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Mr. Speaker, he is quite the banker. We are talking about $5 billion in cost overruns. Add to that the human cost for seniors struggling with Cúram. It was supposed to cost $1.75 billion, and it is not over yet. We know this because it is the same old story every time. The costs keep climbing. There are private firms and consultants laughing all the way to the bank as they listen to the Prime Mini…
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Mr. Speaker, I would be curious to know what my colleague's definition of “freedom” is. There is an expression in Quebec, and I imagine it is used elsewhere: One person's freedom ends where another's begins. When people can commit a crime and justify hatred with religious texts, are they not infringing on the freedom of others? Ultimately, there is a collective issue at stake here. Does it not inv…
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Mr. Speaker, today we are continuing our study of a new structure that the government wishes to create called Build Canada Homes. We are not against optimizing housing resources, quite the contrary. It is necessary to invest heavily in housing, and for that to happen, every tax dollar must be invested to generate maximum benefits. However, instead of opting for the simplest and most affordable sol…
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Mr. Speaker, the culture of cronyism in the Liberal Party is still a danger. What I also find dangerous is not knowing what the government is using our money for. Abitibi—Témiscamingue creates approximately 2% of Canada's GDP, notably through its mining and forestry sectors, but what does it get in return? We have been experiencing a housing crisis for 20 years. Housing costs are just as high in A…
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Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts held a meeting on the subject of infrastructure. We realized that, according to page 298 of volume II of the Public Accounts of Canada 2025, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation was allocated $2.1 billion in financing for housing. However, it spent only $1.3 billion. On that same page, we see that $5 million was not spent in 2025. In ot…
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Mr. Speaker, I will refrain from talking about delays and bureaucracy although I really want to. However, I want to ask my colleague from Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas whether he thinks this is a normal state of affairs. On January 21, 2026, the federal government finally signed an agreement with Quebec. However, this program, the Canada housing infrastructure fund, was actually announced two year…
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Mr. Speaker, the answer is obviously yes, because the municipalities, towns and regions are the ones with the expertise, but there is hope. I would like to give an example: The Abitibi-Témiscamingue CEGEP has partnered with the Regroupement innovant pour l'impression d'immeubles durables, or RI3D. I want to highlight the leadership of a high school friend, David Laliberté, who is a CEGEP teacher, …
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Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals say that Cúram is a success story, they fail to mention that it is a global success. La Presse reported that five other governments have installed Cúram and are facing the same problems and cost overruns. This has been going on for 20 years in Australia, since 2006. However, the Liberals did not learn anything from that. As a result, 85,000 seniors are suffering, and…
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Mr. Speaker, I certainly welcome the fact that there is an agreement, but, once again, we need to be able to look at that agreement to see how it is applied. The reality is that we do not feel that this money is having a real impact in the regions. When we look at the public accounts, we see that the Canada Infrastructure Bank has invested zero dollars in Abitibi—Témiscamingue. That is unacceptabl…
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Mr. Speaker, all the parties in Quebec City want this government to stop squandering Quebeckers' money. As proven by Phoenix, ArriveCAN and Cúram, every time Ottawa touches IT, it turns into a scandal. The Liberals have wasted more than $10 billion in cost overruns on those three projects alone. Meanwhile, the folks in Quebec City are wondering whether there is enough money to continue funding our…
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Mr. Speaker, if I were the minister, I would not be attacking the Auditor General's credibility. We are seeing the same unacceptable flippancy from the Liberals. They are burying their heads in the sand and continuing to spend taxpayers' money. The Quebec National Assembly is reminding us that, in just three IT projects, Ottawa has wasted over $10 billion in cost overruns. With that kind of money,…
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Mr. Speaker, there is already less celebrating going on. Pensioners who have not received their old age pensions for nine months would like to celebrate with the Liberals, but they cannot because they do not have one red cent. Taxpayers would like to celebrate too, but when they think about all of the better ways to spend $5 billion than on software cost overruns, they lose their childlike joy. Th…
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Mr. Speaker, 85,000 pensioners are victims of errors in their old age pensions because of the Cúram software. Taxpayers are on the hook for $5 billion in cost overruns, and that does not even include the Canada pension plan. According to the Liberals, that is okay because “this is good news for Canada”. Pensioners having financial problems is a success story. The Liberals do not think that we shou…
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Mr. Speaker, I would first like to take a moment to congratulate the Citadelles de Rouyn‑Noranda on making it to the finals of the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. It was a remarkable achievement. Indeed, my nephew Renaud was among those who participated in the tournament. I want to tell everyone that I am very proud. It was a heartbreaking overtime loss, just like Team Canada. Stil…
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Mr. Speaker, 85,000 pensioners are having problems with their OAS pension because of the Cúram software, which has chalked up $5 billion in cost overruns to date. What are the people responsible doing? They are paying themselves bonuses. In 2024‑25, senior officials at Employment and Social Development Canada received bonuses amounting to more than $15 million. When 85,000 pensioners are having pr…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to say something in connection with Build Canada Homes. The program's implementation was somewhat chaotic. The government wanted to simply sweep away what was there, but in my home region of Abitibi—Témiscamingue, that could have had serious consequences. A women's shelter with confirmed funding was put on hold for months. The very survival of this project was hanging in the ba…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Saskatoon West for his intervention and for understanding the power that should be exercised at the level closest to the people, that is to say, at the municipal level. Municipalities are the ones that know the reality in our regions. I would like to point out that back home in Rouyn‑Noranda, the housing shortage has been going on for more than 20 years, and …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by expressing my support, as many other members have done, for the communities affected by the events of this week, specifically Tumbler Ridge and Kitigan Zibi. Bill S-211 provides for the development of a national framework to regulate sports betting advertising by establishing national standards. No one will be surprised to hear me say once again that Canada is…
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Mr. Speaker, it is never easy to take up a bill from the Senate in the House, especially when there are imperfections. I would like to note my colleague's desire to start a public debate about an issue that affects people's health and that has significant financial implications. Obviously, this encroaches on the provincial jurisdictions and that of Quebec. I would like her to tell us about that. H…
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Mr. Speaker, I believe I used unparliamentary language and I ask you to use your discretion to withdraw it, please.
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Mr. Speaker, since we are in a debate about cars, I will ask a question about mechanics. Then, since we are discussing subsidies for electric vehicles, I will ask a question about money. I would like to know if the member for Halifax thinks that the fact that the Conservative Party receives a lot of money from donors who are heavily involved in the oil and gas industry could have anything to do wi…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses. The Cúram software was supposed to cost $1.75 billion. We are now at $6.6 billion. That is a cost overrun of nearly $5 billion. However, according to the Liberals, that is not a cost overrun. No, those were just initial contracts with a below-cost starting value. They seem to think we are stupid. Oh, that is not a cost o…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague's intervention on modern treaties was heartfelt and sincere. This commissioner will indeed play a role vital to us as parliamentarians. We will be able to take responsibility and ask the right questions. In short, we support this bill. I had the opportunity to speak at first reading. Here is my question. After my speech, I received a lot of feedback, especially from the L…
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, I think this is a first for me in the House, but I would like to say that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Saint-Jean. I would also like to thank Emily Gough, who has been part of my team over the past few months, as the parliamentary interns will soon be leaving. I am extremely grateful to her for her contribution. I think many of us can attest to her …
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I was saying, for many residents of the municipality, this was a deeply traumatizing chapter. The cohabitation guide went a long way toward improving the social climate. Still, when the company proposed this major project, one that would revitalize the municipality, it tore the community apart. At such times, standing in opposition takes courage because, in small municip…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, many of us were dismayed to hear that Quebec would not be represented on the Canadian men's hockey team at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games. Quebec has always produced outstanding players, and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has won more Memorial Cups in recent years than the Ontario or western leagues. However, Quebec players are absent from the team, and the French languag…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from the Laval region, with whom I had a productive discussion yesterday on social licence issues that are currently affecting the people of Rouyn‑Noranda. I thank him for his sensitivity on this issue. Obviously, I would like to see high‑speed rail go all the way to Rouyn‑Noranda. We would be happy to be able to get to Montreal, Ottawa or other…
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Mr. Speaker, what happened in Mirabel is one of the biggest frustrations in Quebec's history. Not only did the government expropriate people from some of the finest agricultural land in Quebec, it left major scars and trauma in its wake for an airport project heralded to become Canada's largest international airport, as members will recall. Then Canada decided to centre all of its political and ec…
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Mr. Speaker, yes, it is always ironic to see members of the official opposition supporting closure motions. It is as though the Conservative Party had cast itself as a government-in-waiting and decided that it was great because, when they are in power, they will be able to take advantage of these botched processes. I would still like to mention something about Bill C‑5 and the Conservatives. When …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed colleague for her speech. It was clear that she carefully weighed every word. That being said, one thing I feel the government has not weighed is the impact this will have on national debt, because we know that everything this government does only adds to the debt. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, we are talking about an additional $12.4…
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Mr. Speaker, it is quite a privilege to hear a speech from the member for Winnipeg North. We were lucky today. What are the chances? That being said, I would like to hear his comments on the mechanics of his government. Why did his government choose to cut a cheque instead of permanently increasing OAS and therefore seniors' incomes? Is it because the OAS delivery system is failing and more and mo…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, it is difficult for me to rise in the House this morning, but I do so with dignity. I think that what we have experienced this morning is one of the finest moments in the House in recent years. I commend my colleague from Mégantic—L'Érable—Lotbinière for his courage. As a parent of teenagers, I have to say that what he went through is my worst nightmare. I also commend my colleague'…
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