Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I think the short answer to that question is no. However, since it is not like me to provide a simple answer to a simple question, I am going to take the time to point out that there are innovative solutions. I myself came to work today in an electric car. I can say that I am not affected by the higher gas prices right now. Sure, I am making some sacrifices: I had to stop a little mor…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to apologize for my hair. It is raining outside. If members want to see a member of Parliament who is willing to get wet to speak up for their constituents, that is what I am offering. I feel privileged to speak to the opposition motion, which gives us yet another opportunity to debate solutions to help our constituents go about their daily lives despite rising co…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to participate in this debate on Bill C-240. This bill will affect an important industry in Quebec, specifically non-profit organizations, or NPOs, and charities that we have all worked with as citizens and in our work as members. We are all well aware of the important contribution they make to our communities. I commend the enormous amount of work that these orga…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations among the parties, and I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House call Hockey Canada before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to shed light on its involvement in a case of alleged sexual assaults committed in 2018.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-235. This is an interesting bill. The bill presented by my colleague from Winnipeg South Centre basically tells his government to better organize its actions in the prairie provinces. I salute his courage. He knows that his government does not have an action plan to effectively combat the effects of climate change. He also knows that fin…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I have been listening closely to today's debate—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Liberals' management of the borders, I think we can agree that they dragged their feet a lot. They dragged their feet when it came time to close the border, and they are still dragging their feet on implementing an effective reopening plan. I would like to hear what the parliamentary secretary has to say about the government's border management, because the Audito…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I have been listening with interest to today's debate and have been wondering something. I think it is obvious that the Liberals have failed repeatedly in terms of managing the borders and in the measures they wanted to implement over the past year, but I would like to know what the Conservatives would have done had they been in power. What kind of situation would we be in now? We a…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question. Frankly, local and regional media are the key to democracy's survival. We know that, in this era of misinformation, it is essential to be able to count on them. In my work as a member of Parliament, I have the daily responsibility to respond as quickly as possible to these people, whom I wish to acknowledge here today. We still have…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, transparency is important to me. I am not sure about the strategy the government chose to go with. As I mentioned earlier, the government is choosing to take small steps. Why was there no thoughtful deliberation? Why did it not take the time to reflect on the future of the media industry in the next 10, 15 or 20 years? Social media platforms have been around for 10, 15 or 20 years and…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, that is the key right there. Journalists are democracy watchdogs. A lot of elected representatives do not like interacting with journalists. They are afraid of them. I think the primary responsibility of elected representatives is to be accountable and to inform the people. We are lucky that accountability requirements exist. There are other scandals too, such as the sponsorship scand…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands, who is quite right. That is why I started my speech by speaking about the reality of hate speech and its consequences for people's dignity. I am thinking in particular of teenagers, who have to deal with important issues. It is also why I am saying that this bill does not go far enough, that it is incomplete. We hope that something very …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, with whom I have the chance to share several media outlets. She fully understands the urgency to act when it comes to funding regional media. Here are some examples of amendments that could be made to ensure a long‑term vision. First, we must ensure that Canadian broadcasters are not prevented from accessing and broadcasting …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, allow me to acknowledge the addition of a new member to my team, Jean‑François Vachon, a journalist by training. He is very well known in Abitibi—Témiscamingue, especially for his work at the newspaper Le Citoyen and with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He certainly adds value to my team. This will somewhat influence my speech, which will be interesting as it is about content in regional m…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see more members in the House and I will continue my speech. In such vast territories, it is hard to cover local news properly. Imagine how much time it takes journalists to travel around, especially when they are alone. The reality is that local media are not covering all of the news anymore. The media can no longer rely on ad sales, which are plummeting. The share of…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, last year, as I recall, there was COVID-19, so there were fewer applications. While Ottawa is asleep at the wheel when it comes to temporary foreign workers, our small and medium-sized businesses are being clobbered by the labour shortage. While the government tells us that everything is fine, 15% of Quebec's SMEs are outsourcing their operations because they do not have anyone to wor…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the federal fiasco in the temporary foreign worker program is making many Quebec businesses angry. The Conseil du patronat du Québec and restaurant owners, among others, want Ottawa to stop requiring labour market impact assessments from businesses, which are duplicating something Quebec already does. In the middle of the labour shortage, Ottawa is unnecessarily delaying the arrival o…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak to this motion, which outlines ways to increase avenues for temporary foreign workers to obtain permanent residence. This motion focuses on occupations in key sectors that are under-represented in existing economic immigration programs. I am sure many members in the House are wondering if there is a way to compel a department like Immigration, Refugees, and Cit…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, this bill should have been passed last year. We will do everything in our power to get it passed quickly this year. Talking about the Broadcasting Act makes me think about how the act has not really changed in the time it has taken the Winnipeg Jets to go away and come back again. This is about fighting foreign productions. If we want to keep money here in our own homegrown producti…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Battle River—Crowfoot for his speech. I am hoping to hear his thoughts on the state of ethics in the House, so that I can have a better understanding of it. At the same time, I do not have a crystal ball. I obviously expect that we will again get caught up in parliamentary procedures and will never actually finish this debate. I think that Quebe…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I essentially agree with my colleague from Timmins—James Bay. To quote a friend, using the current legislation is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. That has to stop. Funding for our Canadian and Quebec productions is vital to the survival of our culture. At the moment, the philosophy of moving forward in baby steps is preventing us from having a comprehensive vision o…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, if what the member for Simcoe—Grey says is true, it is extremely concerning. The Bloc Québécois would also like to reserve the right to intervene later in a potential debate.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, oil subsidies figure prominently in this economic statement and in the budget. In this context, what concerns me is the energy transition. How can we promote the electrification of transportation? Is my colleague satisfied with the measures that are in place? Would he like to comment further?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am pleased that my colleague is interested in the housing issue, but it is the construction of homes that is the urgent issue. Supply and demand is a game. The problem is that the supply is inadequate, and this is causing prices to skyrocket. That is the case in major centres, but all too often we forget that this is also happening in the regions and rural areas. Could my colleagu…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, to address the labour shortage in the regions, Quebec is appealing to foreign workers, but after being accepted by Quebec, they are rejected by Ottawa. Imagine that. Our businesses invest up to $20,000 per candidate, and Quebec issues its approval swiftly, only for the federal government to reject these temporary workers, claiming that they might end up wanting to stay here. Our SMEs …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, every spring, Quebec farmers need temporary foreign workers. Every year, Ottawa hems and haws. This affects the agricultural sector, as well as many more of Quebec's economic sectors, and it affects our regions most of all. Our regions need foreign workers, but the federal government is taking its sweet time and even rejecting some applications. It seems pretty simple to me. Quebec sa…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to discuss Bill C-11 on online streaming. This is a modest beginning that will address certain aspects of what I call “living with the digital giants”. I would like to give a shout out to the artisans in Abitibi—Témiscamingue, in particular Rosalie Chartier-Lacombe’s team at the Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda, who is currently…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, that will send a clear message to our artists, producers and creators that our governments believe in the film industry, in the production industry in Quebec and Canada. That will be essential to creating jobs in these areas of expertise. We agree that these areas were hard hit by the pandemic and that they need a breath of fresh air and a pat on the back. This will also benefit our…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, nearly a hundred people in the riding of Abitibi—Témiscamingue have contacted me because they paid into EI their whole lives but are not getting a cent. Why? It is because they are the victims of fraud. Thousands of Quebeckers are in this situation. The cost of living is skyrocketing. Service Canada has been withholding income from honest people, since November in some cases. We nee…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my question for the Minister of Finance is a simple one. It is now the end of April. Bill C‑8 was introduced in December. Is it essentially the sum total of all the government's foot-dragging since that totally pointless election? It took some time to get back to work, appoint ministers and open Parliament. This is a budget statement from last fall. The budget has since been tabled,…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, when I see what is happening this morning, I feel that today's debate in the House should be about ethics. A debate about WE Charity is clearly a debate about ethics. Government Motion No. 11 also has me wondering about ethics. I wonder how the NDP-Liberal coalition works, what is really going on behind the scenes and what we here in Parliament are not aware of. I wonder about the imp…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, like you, I have hockey on the brain. The cup is within reach. Coming off two shutouts by goalie Éloi Bouchard in the first two games of the series, the Temiscaming Titans will host the next games of the Ontario junior hockey championship playoffs as they vie for the General Metro Hockey League's Russell Cup. The last cup champions were the other team from Témiscamingue, the Ville-Mar…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, in his speech, my colleague from Peace River—Westlock asked a key question, namely, why Quebec should have a special privilege, the “nation clause”, recognizing that this founding nation, which is francophone, unique, and has its own culture, deserves a certain political weight in the House of Commons. For me, this is fundamental. Would my colleague be willing to take a step to ensure…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a real pleasure to hear about rural life in the House and, more importantly, to hear about it in a good way. I agree that talking about rural life can be awkward at times. There is a sense that Canada is built around the needs of Toronto and its suburbs, which is very frustrating. For example, back home, the Témiscamingue RCM has had to stand up to Canada Post because Fabre an…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is always difficult to rise after a speech as eloquent as that of my colleague from Mirabel. Today we are seized with a motion about what the Conservatives would like to see in the next budget, including budgetary balance or, at the very least, an agreement on the path and deadline for reaching it. People will not be surprised to learn that there are several ways to achieve this. I…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the key word in my colleague from Winnipeg North's remarks was “system”. That is the problem right there. It is frustrating to be an MP in the regions because the system does not provide services in the regions. According to a survey carried out across Quebec and Canada, the Université du Québec en Abitibi—Témiscamingue ranks among the top five universities with regard to living condi…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is all part of an economic philosophy. We keep hearing about two options: budget cuts or spending increases. There is a third option, one that I have put forward before, and that is coming up with ways to increase productivity to bring in more money. It is a philosophical issue. I am a firm believer in state intervention, which can increase budgets and really make the energy transi…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, all social progress must be paid for, of course, but the measures implemented need to be financially viable. I liked the question from one of my colleagues, who suggested going after tax havens to find the money. Obviously, there is work to be done in that area. In my view, it is important to create winning conditions for our SMEs. After two years of COVID-19, we really need to help o…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois reserves the right to intervene on this question of privilege at a later date.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I find it odd to hear my colleague from Winnipeg North say that seniors are important. The Liberals did promise an increase, but it only amounts to $50 to $60 a week. We know that seniors have greater needs than that. We only have to think of the cost of groceries and the impact of the increase in the price of gas and housing. Everything has gone up. The Bloc Québécois is urging the…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, with all due respect to my colleague from Calgary Centre, this motion has me thinking. Are we not quietly forgetting to reach out directly to the oil companies and ask them how they might also contribute to further funding the treasury and to balancing Canada's budget? Is there no way to get more money from them instead of giving them a free pass?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, unlike my colleague from Jonquière, I am proud to say that I come from a united region, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, and I am equally proud to be from both Témiscamingue and Abitibi. In fact, there are some great debates about where one region begins and the other one ends. I am extremely proud of this. We had a lot of snow this winter, but fortunately the snowbanks are beginning to melt, a…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, the answer is simple. The answer is no. Normally, it takes me six hours to drive to Ottawa. Driving an electric car required me to form new habits. Before I can get to where I am going, I have to remember to plug in my car. While waiting, I can buy a sandwich at the corner store to fuel myself up. Then I can drive off with enough energy to last me a while. After that, i…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, Ukraine certainly is a sensitive issue now. It is likely that one of the reasons for the Russian government's invasion was not to gain access to oil, but to take control of Ukraine's critical and strategic mineral deposits. The energy transition is going on worldwide. We need critical and strategic minerals to build tomorrow's electric vehicles. As we know, China controls a huge part …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from the Green Party for his question and remarks. Unfortunately, we have given oil companies much more than that. That is part of the problem. What we can do is accelerate the transition. Let us take that money and invest it in every region of Canada to develop innovation. We must look to innovation and rely on the bright people at our colleges and …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, as the Beijing Paralympic Games begin today, I would like to draw the attention of Canada's Minister of Sport to a certain issue. The Canadian Olympic Committee Athlete Excellence Fund offers performance-related awards to Olympic medalists: $20,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze. However, these awards are not offered to Paralympic athletes. How can it be that, in …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the community of Barraute is in mourning for its mayor, Yvan Roy, who passed away recently surrounded by his loved ones at the Montreal Heart Institute. Mr. Roy was elected as mayor of Barraute for the first time in 2017, after working as a member of the municipal council for about 10 years. He was re-elected last November and had just started his second term in office. He was the fou…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I would like to join the debate on the legitimacy of invoking the Emergencies Act. This is a very important and urgent subject. I know the members are eager to hear my point of view. I thank them for being here. I salute the police forces for their work, their professionalism and their actions yesterday. I would like to thank the people of Abitibi—Témiscamingue for being so resilient,…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her comments. No, I was not there in 1970. I was not born yet. Nevertheless, what stays with me is the trauma that hundreds of Quebeckers endured and are now reliving with this situation. All governments have a responsibility, and this government did not take that responsibility. To me, it sounds like there is propaganda coming out of this government. It is us…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague. I cannot explain what happened. We are in a democracy. We are supposed to be in a democracy. I doubt it, at the moment. I have a hard time realizing that I am in the House, but I feel so privileged to be here and to have a voice. There are people outside who wanted to reach out, who wanted to have a dialogue. They were never given the chance to speak. I am not a …
Read full speech →