Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, I want everyone to know that November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Living with diabetes every day is not always easy. This disease affects millions of Canadians. I want to thank the specialist doctors and nurses and pharmacists for supporting people like me who live with this disease. Jana, my big type 1 girl, and I thank the researchers working on this. I am especially grateful to …
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Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to rise today to acknowledge the winners of the 26th Gatineau Chamber of Commerce Excelor awards, which were handed out at a gala on Saturday evening. Not only was this gala a success that showcased the efforts of every business owner and worker who excelled over the past year, but I could not have asked for better than to see my brother, Marc Lauzon, be named personalit…
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Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the Canadian Craft Brewers Association held its first Canada Beer Cup. This new national competition celebrates independent Canadian craft brewers that showcase quality and innovation in craft beer from coast to coast to coast. I have the honour of having one of the big winners of the competition in my riding. Les Brasseurs de Montebello won the gold medal for their Jack Ra…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to talk about our government's plan to improve Canadians' access to oral health care by introducing Bill C‑31. Budget 2022 allocated $5.3 billion over five years to Health Canada to provide dental care to Canadians whose family income is less than $90,000. Bill C‑31 authorizes the government to start putting some of that money into Canadians' po…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, in politics, there is a time for everything. We campaign, we set goals. We have focused on seniors and the middle class. We wanted to take money away from the rich and redistribute it. We focused on indigenous communities. Together with the NDP, we have reached out, and it is time we worked together to provide dental care across Canada, without neglecting any province, including the…
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Madam Speaker, we are working together with all the provinces and territories to ensure that all children in Canada can have the same plan. We are also working with Quebec, which is a model for all of Canada. We are lucky that Quebec's dental plan already covers children 12 and under to a certain extent. Let us follow Quebec's lead. However, is there any difference between a child from Quebec and …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on October 11, I had the pleasure of welcoming nearly 100 people to my conference on economic development in my riding of Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation. Participants came from the municipal, agricultural and tourism sectors, chambers of commerce and industry, as well as community organizations. I would like to thank my colleague, the member for Hochelaga and Parliamentary Secretary to t…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, of course we are working with the provinces and territories. How can they say that the system is working when almost 40% of young people are currently not receiving services? They have to pay for services, so they go without. I am from a rural riding. There are a number of rural ridings where many small businesses do not cover dental care. This bill will make things more equitable. …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. Canada's north is an iconic region of our country for its beauty, opportunities and exceptional experiences. Many of Canada's indigenous peoples live there. Because of northern Canada's geography and the impact of climate change, those communities face many challenges when it comes to high-speed Internet. Since 2015, our government has invested…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question. Of course, waterways are affected by climate crises, and they are an essential resource for farmers. Farmers use water to produce food and irrigate the land. With the changing climate, our government must take the necessary measures to deal with the climate crisis as quickly as possible.
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased that my colleague is also singing the praises of farmers. We are seeing today that they do an excellent job. We must acknowledge that producers are dealing with a level of biodiversity unlike that of the past. They have to adapt. This new biodiversity is mainly the result of climate change. We are experiencing tornadoes. We are experiencing storms. There have been …
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Madam Speaker, our government has already made a commitment to some elements of this motion. We have already implemented some measures. My colleague asked me if I will support this motion. I will support it because it is important enough to be studied in committee. Is all of it current? I think not. I really think we will have to address it point by point and show how the government has already ma…
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Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I would like to mention that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Winnipeg North. I would like to thank the hon. member for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford for raising this very important issue. Today my colleagues have talked about the factors that affect food prices and our efforts to ensure Canadians have access to healthy and affordable food. There has …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank my NDP colleague for her speech and her passion for this file. We have been hearing a lot more about inflation and tax havens in recent speeches. However, we know that the food issue, particularly regarding food prices and inflation on store shelves, is more complicated than that. Will the committee study of this motion take into account our farmers and factors like climate …
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Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure and pride that I rise to recognize the achievement of an athlete from my riding of Argenteuil-La Petite-Nation. Weightlifter Étienne Jolicoeur has made a name for himself by winning the North American Open held in Calgary on September 16 and 17, with lifts totalling 241 kilograms. At just 16 years old, he took gold in the 67‑kilogram category. He has a great …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we know that the cellular network is essential. Again, this became clear as tropical storm Fiona passed through. As a government, we are doing everything in our power to restore services. We are working in collaboration with the province. I assure the House that we are on the ground and we will do everything we can to restore all the necessary services for the Canadians affected by th…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that mobile connectivity is very important to keeping rural and remote communities safe. For our country to be proud of its connectivity, we have to ensure access to high-speed broadband mobile services. That is why a dedicated funding envelope in the universal broadband fund for mobile connectivity in communities, including indigenous communities, is essential.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that summer is approaching and that today is a busy day. We also know that some of our colleagues have had COVID‑19 these past few days and weeks. I attended an activity this week during which I was seated at the head table. Yesterday, the participants received a call telling them to get tested, because several people had contracted COVID‑19 during some of the week's events. W…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today is World Milk Day. It is an opportunity to thank our dairy farmers, processors and producers who work hard to supply our country with delicious milk. Our farmers give their all every day to provide us with healthy, quality dairy products. The products are made with care, safely and in an increasingly eco-friendly way. The Canadian dairy industry is known the world over for its s…
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Madam Speaker, as a francophone from Quebec, I concur with the government that Bill C‑13 is extremely important. It is not a question of debating the timing of its introduction, because I do not believe there is a right or wrong time. As my colleague stated earlier, I believe that today, the time has come to move forward. However, I do have a question for the minister. At what point in this proces…
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Mr. Speaker, while millions of Ukrainians have had to flee their homeland, people, associations and organizations from across the country are coming together to provide support. In Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, we have done our part. Paul Hénault made a $10,000 donation on behalf of the 84 members of the Lachute Lions Club, which then raised an additional $18,250 in record time for projects that wi…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my opposition colleague for his question. I can assure him that there is no one more Liberal than I am, but there is no one more Québécois than I am either. I am an ardent defender of French. I have many friends in my riding who are Bloc supporters. I am very comfortable in this seat. When I read this bill and I saw that a francophone could create francophone content, deliver …
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Mr. Speaker, I am going to repeat some of what I said in my speech. Back when I was a saxophone player and we were recording music, the money went to the orchestras, creators and musicians. Whether the music was recorded on an eight-track tape, a four-track tape or vinyl, we had a basic income. What we want to do is revise this act, which has not been updated since 1991, by adapting to the new for…
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Mr. Speaker, on Monday, May 9, the David Suzuki Foundation unveiled the 15 finalists for the 8th Prix Demain le Québec. Among the finalists are projects that spotlight the culture and heritage of Canada's indigenous peoples as well as initiatives to protect territory and biodiversity. One of the 15 finalists is a project from my riding, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation. Espace Monarque is a project tha…
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Mr. Speaker, I had a few questions for my colleague, and I even had the lyrics of the Pierre Lapointe song, Je déteste ma vie, running through my head, although I do not hate my life today, since we are talking about this bill. It is an honour to talk about it. Having been a musician, creator and singer myself, I would like to inform my colleague opposite that I have had the opportunity to perform…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. The Conservatives are using this bill as a bit of an opportunity to spread misinformation. What they are saying is false. People will still be able to post their content on social media. They will be able to do what I did during the pandemic. I created a YouTube channel to sing to isolated seniors. On Monday and Wednesday evenings, I sang to…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to a great man who recently left us, our national hero, Guy Lafleur. Guy Lafleur was born in Thurso, in my riding of Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation. The blond demon was always eager to get involved in the community. On the ice, his style was like none other. His speed, his skill, his explosiveness, his lightning-fast shots and his goal-scoring prowess were inc…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the universal broadband fund, or UBF, is the single largest federal investment in broadband in Canada’s history. With budget 2021, the government has brought the total funding for the UBF to $2.75 billion to help ensure that 98% of Canadians will be connected by 2026, and all Canadians by 2030, including those living on Pelee Island. The UBF launched in November 2020, and received mor…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to acknowledge the outstanding work of two cattle producers in my riding: Brylee farm in Lochaber and Guayclair farm in Brownsburg‑Chatham. They were both honoured with the Environmental Stewardship Award, Quebec chapter, in 2021 and 2022 respectively. This award is handed out each year in recognition of cattle producers' leadership in on-farm environmental manage…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Montarville said that our government should have taken action sooner. He also said that the main reason why he was voting against the use of the act was that there was not enough consultation with the provinces, which is completely untrue. All of a sudden, my colleague is concerned about provinces other than Quebec. He is so concerned that he renamed the Emergencies …
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to rise at this late hour, and I want to take a moment to thank all the House of Commons staff, the interpreters, and you, Madam Speaker, for your indulgence and dedication as the House sits long hours until midnight. Thank you to everyone. We have been patient for more than 20 days, while these illegal blockades have disturbed the lives of Canadians, harmed our ec…
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I apologize, Madam Speaker. To my colleague who spoke before me, I would like to say that the police service was indeed severely affected. We are invoking the Emergencies Act to enhance the ability of provincial and territorial authorities to deal with the blockades and the occupation and keep Canadians safe, protect jobs and restore confidence in our institutions. In my riding, Highway 50 connect…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague opposite for the opportunity to answer his question. It is mind-boggling to me to see the Bloc so desperate for something to say that it is making up needs. Not once have we spoken about needing to go into Quebec if it was not useful. The Bloc is on dangerous ground here. Even the Bloc leader has compared this to wartime legislation. We have never made mention o…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for mentioning that this network has ties to some extremist groups that are dangerous to our society, to the supply chain, to our families, to the common good, to security and so forth. The act is appropriate and will be in force for the next 30 days. It will be enforced mainly in Ottawa, but perhaps elsewhere as needed, although I hope that other provinces will…
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Madam Speaker, in an effort to keep this brief, I will summarize the question. The act is clear. Institutions will be responsible for investigating anyone who made illegal contributions and will have to provide this information to law enforcement, which will also have to conduct a thorough investigation. I have faith in our justice system and our law enforcement system—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is rather ironic to hear the Conservatives lecture us today about not going fast enough, when they were the ones who raised the age of eligibility from 65 to 67. I would like to hear the Minister of Seniors talk about the importance of collaboration among all parties in the House to provide help and support and send a clear message to seniors. Let us support our seniors and act q…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the comments made by the member for Lambton—Kent—Middlesex regarding rural economic development. It is somewhat ironic that this matter is being raised by the Conservatives, who delayed Internet expansion for a decade. The current crisis has highlighted the need for all Canadians to have access to fast and reliable Internet, no matter where they live. Canadi…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have heard the Conservatives say that they are listening to rural communities across Canada, even in the riding of my colleague across the way. I am rather pleased to hear that the member is protecting or trying to define the need for high-speed Internet. Our government developed the rural economic development strategy with the goal of supporting the economic recovery. For education…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate you on your role today. I also want to take a moment today to extend my sincere thanks to the people of my riding, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, for placing their trust in me for a third time. I thank my family, my friends, our volunteers, and my children for supporting me since 2015. I am proud to represent our beautiful riding and to contribute to its advance…
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Madam Speaker, today I actually feel safer flying than coming to the House, not knowing who is vaccinated and who is not. Today, I wonder why we are not working to move forward on the important issues in our constituencies by working directly with the ministers in person or in a hybrid Parliament. We should have voted. Can the government House leader explain how we can play our role properly with …
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