Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, I always like working with my hon. colleague, the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. We always have great conversations. What I am hearing in my riding when I go door to door is that people have confidence in what our Prime Minister is doing, what measures we are putting in place and how they help people in my riding. I live north of Montreal. A lot of people work in Montreal but live in my riding, so they spend a lot of time sitting in traffic on Autoroute 15, which is one of the most congested places in Quebec. This measure would give them a certain amount of relief. I find this measure very balanced. We would be giving relief to people at the gas pumps now but maintaining revenue in the future to make sure we can invest in public transit because public transit is definitely a problem. I would like to know from my hon. colleague how she finds this balanced approach a good measure.

Mr. Speaker, as usual, my hon. colleague gave a very eloquent speech. As I was saying earlier when I asked the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands a question, many of my constituents who have to sit in traffic will be able to benefit from Bill C‑38 by saving money on gas. Many of my constituents work in my colleague's riding. Can my colleague expand on how these people will be able to benefit from Bill C‑38 by saving money on gas?

Mr. Speaker, I have been in the House for about one year, and all I hear from the other side is doom and gloom. I would like to talk about some positive stuff that is happening in our area. I too have a forestry sector in my riding. Forestry is a challenge. However, I was lucky enough to go to the opening of a graphite mine that will be the biggest in the G7. There are a lot of mining opportunities in B.C. and in Quebec. I would like to know what the member opposite thinks of all these mining investments and our focus on critical minerals.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the heart and soul of music and theatre in Morin-Heights, and that heart is named Penny Rose. Penny came to us in the sixties and opened Rose's Cantina, one of the first live music venues in our community, where people would come from near and far to be entertained. Over the years, music has become a way of life in our town, and Penny has always been leading the way. Be it the Joyful Noise Choir, Theatre Morin Heights or now our famous SuperFolk festival, Penny volunteered for it all. Morin-Heights' music scene is best known for the Commons Bar and Le Studio, where bands such as Rush, The Police, and Bryan Adams recorded some of their best music. However, for the last 60 years, it has been Penny's work that has deeply left its mark. On July 2, Penny Rose will be 80 years old. She is still going strong and will host the biggest live music party that our town has seen in a long time. From all of us here in the House of Commons, I wish the one and only Penny Rose a very happy birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise this morning to support the bill respecting the establishment of Build Canada Homes. This decisive law will make Build Canada Homes a Crown corporation tasked with building and expanding affordable housing for Canadians. As we all know, Canada is going through a housing crisis. To date, federal efforts have been spread out across several departments, agencies and programs, limiting the government's ability to have maximum impact. Traditional approaches to building and financing do not provide the scale or speed that Canadians need. That is why we are taking a new approach. Every Canadian deserves an affordable place to call home. Housing is a basic need, and the growing demand for housing across the country requires urgent action. Build Canada Homes was created to act quickly and effectively. This legislation will give Build Canada Homes the flexibility and operational autonomy it needs to carry out its mandate. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will maintain a clear accountability framework with respect to the government. That will strengthen its ability to develop partnerships across the housing ecosystem and provide affordable housing at the scale and speed that Canadians need. Build Canada Homes will streamline federal housing efforts by acting as a developer, a funder, a unifying force and a catalyst for innovation in the housing sector. It will play a central role in building strong partnerships with all levels of government and indigenous communities. It will also work with non-profit organizations and other key stakeholders in the housing sector to stimulate the construction of affordable housing across Canada. This includes private developers and community organizations. However, Build Canada Homes cannot act alone. The success of its initiatives depends on partnerships. Greater collaboration between all levels of government and with key partners is needed to address the housing challenges we face across the country. Build Canada Homes will streamline and accelerate the delivery of large-scale affordable housing projects. The agency will attract public, private and philanthropic investment, thereby maximizing its impact. The Build Canada Homes Act will foster partnerships across the housing ecosystem to bring together the right funding and the right projects. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will provide access to federal lands, development expertise and flexible financial tools through a single entity. It will speed up the delivery of affordable housing by working with non-profit organizations, indigenous organizations and all levels of government. This approach will limit risk, eliminate barriers and guide projects throughout the development process. Build Canada Homes will also work in close collaboration with developers, investors and manufacturers on securing funding and building homes. It will work directly with builders and suppliers focused on long-term affordability. That includes non-profit organizations, co-operatives, community housing providers and organizations that promote different housing options for Canadians. These strategic partnerships will make it possible to create affordable housing for a wide range of households, regardless of their income. Build Canada Homes will have the authority to work under agreements with all levels of government and community partners on financial support, joint ventures and joint development initiatives. The agency will strive to create close collaboration and coordination with the provinces and territories, which will foster progress on priority projects. Among other things, that could include making land available, speeding up approval procedures or waiving any applicable fees. In April 2026, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec announced a partnership to support the construction of nearly 865 affordable housing units across the province. The total investment in affordable housing, supported housing and transitional housing in the province amounts to $200 million. Build Canada Homes is providing approximately $100 million, and Quebec is also contributing up to $100 million. This is a direct result of the memorandum of understanding establishing the principles of collaboration for rolling out Build Canada Homes in Quebec. Signed in January 2026, this memorandum of understanding will guide future collaboration and ensure the coordinated roll-out of Build Canada Homes projects across Quebec. Through their collaboration, the federal and Quebec governments will speed up the approval process and identify additional housing projects. The combined investments will help build more affordable housing in the communities that need it most. To illustrate the importance of this legislation, I will give two clear examples of housing projects in my riding, Les Pays-d'en-Haut. The first was built under the old programs, and the second was built using the new tools provided by Build Canada Homes. The first project is called Habitat Morin-Heights. It is a 30-unit housing project that enables our seniors 75 and older to remain in the community when they are no longer able to manage their homes. They used to have to move elsewhere. The project had the support of the community, the municipality, the Government of Quebec, and the Government of Canada, but even with all that support, five years passed between the housing units being acquired from the Société d'habitation du Québec upon completion of construction and the residents moving in. That is unacceptable. Some residents on the waiting list simply moved away, and some even passed away before they could move into their homes. Ultimately, the project has been a great success. Habitat Morin-Heights is full, and there is a new waiting list. However, five years to complete a housing project is far too long. Now, I would like to tell members about a similar project in my riding that will be carried out using tools from Build Canada Homes. I am talking about the Coop de solidarité Au coeur des collines in Saint‑Calixte. It is a project involving 28 affordable social housing units. After I was elected last year, I met with the 19 mayors in my riding, as well as several municipal councillors. During that tour, Michel Jasmin, the mayor of Saint‑Calixte, Lucie Chagnon, a municipal councillor, and Maria Dias-Ribeiro, the president of the board of directors for the Coop de solidarité Au coeur des collines quickly made it clear to me that the project was vital to the community and that they needed help seeing it through. The project was ready to go. It had the support of the community, the municipality and the province. The bidding process was under way. The only thing missing was the federal funding needed to start construction. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation on board, they submitted the project to Build Canada Homes, and in just six months everything was finalized. That is what Build Canada Homes does. It analyzes and identifies projects that will give fast results, supports them and makes it possible to start construction because the longer we wait on a project, the more expensive it becomes. I am pleased to announce that construction on the Au cœur des collines project in Saint‑Calixte will begin this summer. That is a significant achievement. To announce this wonderful project, I had the opportunity to welcome the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure to my riding in Morin-Heights. I specifically chose to make the announcement at the site of the first project I mentioned, Habitat Morin-Heights. I must admit that it was a strategic choice on my part, because I wanted to show my colleagues the impact that a housing project can have on a small community. They were able to talk to the residents who had recently moved in and explore this new community a bit. They also saw that a 30-unit project in a small community is as important as a 500-unit project in a big city. They were also able to see the emotion in the eyes of Ms. Chagnon and Ms. Dias-Ribeiro, who will finally see the project they fought so hard for get built. That is the real-world impact of Build Canada Homes, and that is why we need to pass the bill to create the Crown corporation. In conclusion, the Build Canada Homes act will create a Crown corporation with a clear mandate, governance structure and powers. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will have the operational independence, governance and flexibility that is necessary to deliver affordable housing at scale.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. I think I illustrated this very clearly in my example: the dynamic and flexible nature of Build Canada Homes will make it possible to build more quickly. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation had programs, but it had limited capabilities. Build Canada Homes is much more dynamic and much more flexible, which will facilitate partnerships and quicker housing construction.

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question, and I love having wonderful conversations with her in the House every day. I think Build Canada Homes is the necessary tool at this time to get things done. Accountability to the minister is going to be super important, but I am not worried that there are going to be any problems on that front. Again, the flexibility that Build Canada Homes has, and the quickness with which we can get stuff built, is the most important factor right now.

Madam Speaker, I think the best example of that is the deal we signed with Quebec for 865 new homes that are going to be happening rapidly. We were able to coordinate with the provincial government to make sure that its priorities became our priorities. That is what we need in these times to get stuff built as quickly as possible because we have to get out of this housing crisis. The best way to do it is through Build Canada Homes.

Madam Speaker, on a more positive note, I am honoured to rise today to commend the perseverance of Éliane Blais, a young athlete from my riding, Les Pays-d'en-Haut. At just 16 years old, she is already a four-time Canadian U17 mountain bike champion, all while continuing her studies. After a serious accident, surgery and rehabilitation, she joined the U19 junior category last fall and won two medals at the Canada Games. On May 2, she finished ninth in the Olympic Junior series in the Czech Republic, and on May 31, in Sherbrooke, she won a bronze medal at the Canada Cup. Éliane Blais is a true source of inspiration for all young people in Canada. She has big ambitions. Although she is the youngest rider on the circuit, she is aiming for a spot in the top eight in the junior downhill category at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Italy this summer. That kind of passion is exactly why we are investing $755 million in our young athletes. I would like to congratulate Éliane and thank her for representing Les Pays-d'en-Haut and Canada so well on the international stage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark National Consulting Engineering Day. This is an opportunity to celebrate a Canadian success story, namely the experts who design and build the infrastructure that is essential to our daily lives. Canada is, without question, an engineering superpower. The sector employs nearly a quarter of a million Canadians and contributes about $35 billion to our economy. As an engineer, I see the tangible impact of this work every day. Whether it is hospital expansions, new ports opening the doors to international trade, or infrastructure corridors linking Canada from coast to coast, these projects transform the lives of Canadians. Although some projects are national in scope, all projects are of vital importance to the communities they serve. That is why, this National Consulting Engineering Day, I invite all members of the House to join me in thanking the teams of engineers and other professionals who help build the country that makes us proud to be Canadian.

Mr. Speaker, Les Pays-d'en-Haut has about 1,000 lakes. My riding is home to a great business called Multinautic that manufactures aluminum docks. It was able to take advantage of a tariff response grant. The company's employees are very happy because they export a large part of their production to the United States. I would like my colleague to explain how tariff response strategies work for small and medium-sized businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague, who sits on the Standing Committee on National Defence with me. I think that today we are talking about victims. We are talking about the issue of victims' trust in a justice system. I would like my colleague to talk about the 14,000 victims who testified before Justice Arbour that they did not trust the military system. Since 2022, all sexual abuse cases under the Criminal Code have been tried in civilian court, and that arrangement is working. Why could it not continue to work?

Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure for me to rise in the House on behalf of the people of Pays‑d'en‑Haut. Today, in the House, we are debating a bill that is very important for the military community and the Canadian Armed Forces. I would like to begin by thanking Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans and their families for their service to our country. This bill seeks to modernize the military justice system and originally included recommendations from the reports of former Supreme Court of Canada justices Louise Arbour and Morris J. Fish. These changes are essential to the long-term success of the Canadian Armed Forces and the entire defence team as they continue their important mission of defending Canada and Canadians. The bill responds to recommendation 5 from former Supreme Court Justice Arbour's report and the eight recommendations from former Supreme Court Justice Fish's report. However, the amendments made by the committee and proposed by opposition MPs run counter to these recommendations. I believe that all my colleagues in the House will agree with me on the following point: Bringing about lasting and meaningful cultural change within the Canadian Armed Forces must be one of our top priorities. That is why I believe it is crucial to hold this debate here, so that we can discuss the importance of upholding the recommendations of former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour. Today I will address the importance of recommendation 5. In 2022, Ms. Arbour submitted her final report on sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces to the Minister of National Defence. This report, entitled “Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces”, contains 48 recommendations that focused on reforming the “institutional shortcomings” and “structural impediments” that have allowed the problem to persist. Justice Arbour's recommendation 5 is that civilian authorities should have exclusive jurisdiction over Criminal Code sexual offences alleged against members of the Canadian Armed Forces. I quote: Criminal Code sexual offences should be removed from the jurisdiction of the [Canadian Armed Forces]. They should be prosecuted exclusively in civilian criminal courts in all cases. Where the offence takes place in Canada, it should be investigated by civilian police forces at the earliest opportunity. Where the offence takes place outside of Canada, the [military police] may act in the first instance to safeguard evidence and commence an investigation, but should liaise with civilian law enforcement at the earliest possible opportunity. She also states the following in her report: ...I do not envisage a type of permanent transfer process by which a victim would report a crime to the [military police], who would then transfer the case to a civilian police service. The experience of the interim recommendation has shown that to be unworkable. I expect victims to be told to contact civilian authorities directly, and such contact to be facilitated by the [military police] and the [Canadian Armed Forces] so far as possible. However, the amendments proposed by the opposition parties run directly counter to this recommendation. This will make it even more difficult for victims to navigate the justice system due to the complexity of the new procedures included in the bill as amended by the opposition parties. The lack of clarity and transparency will have a negative impact on the military justice system and on victims and survivors. Since December 2021, all new Criminal Code sexual offence charges have been laid in the civilian justice system. None of these offences are tried in the military justice system, and this arrangement is working. Justice Arbour also relied on the results of the Declaration of Victims Rights consultation in issuing recommendation 5. In her report, she notes: Common themes in the response to the consultation included “fear of reprisal and retaliation, lack of support, shame and embarrassment, issues with the system, the accused being protected, and the individual responsible for handling complaints being the perpetrator.” There was also a widely held perception, both among those who identified as victims of a service offence and those who did not, that the military justice system fails to treat victims with dignity and respect.... This lack of trust and fear of reprisals were also raised by the vast majority of witnesses during the committee's consideration of Bill C-11. Here is an example of testimony received by the committee. On November 20, 2025, Paula MacDonald made the following statement during her testimony before the Standing Committee on National Defence: When I went to the civilian police, I was told more than once to go back to the military system that failed me. At the same time, my leaders reframed my complaints. Instead of naming sexual harassment and abuse of power that led to sexual assault, they called me emotional, hypersensitive and a mental health problem. She continued: In my case, the Canadian Armed Forces didn't simply mishandle a file; it used the machinery of the military justice and grievance system to protect its membership, who violated the National Defence Act and silenced me. The misuse of state power that the charter is meant to guard against is what they did. It is exactly why the reforms like Bill C‑11 and a real shift to independent civilian jurisdiction over sexual offences is so urgently needed to maintain the rule of law within the Canadian Armed Forces. She also said the following: If a Canadian solution is to move it to the civilian system— and it seems that this is our Canadian solution—where our three Supreme Court justices, who are experts in the delivery of justice, say it should be, then this is what we need to do. I think it is pretty clear that there is a lack of trust in the military justice system when it comes to sexual offences. That is why the defence team implemented most of Justice Arbour's recommendations, and we need to do the same for recommendation 5. This bill should establish a clear framework for investigating and acting on allegations of sexual misconduct in order to foster an environment of accountability and justice. That would not happen if we adopted the amendments put forward by the opposition parties to remove Justice Arbour's recommendation 5 from Bill C‑11. We are encouraged by the positive changes in the culture of the defence team in recent years. Bill C‑11 and the changes it will make to the National Defence Act are a crucial step in strengthening that trust and ensuring that this change is permanent. Canadians who serve our country risk everything for us. In return, we owe them our full and unconditional support.

Mr. Speaker, to answer my colleague, Justice Arbour interviewed 14,000 people and most of them did not want these cases to remain in the military system. The trust is not there. A change in culture is happening slowly. We hear that things are improving at the Department of National Defence, but they have not yet improved enough. Victims still fear retaliation. They fear being reprimanded, and they fear that their case will not be dealt with appropriately.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to correct my colleague. I have sat on the Standing Committee on National Defence since I was elected, and I am happy to do so. I sat in on all the testimony that was given in connection with the study of Bill C‑11. Some witnesses did say that they would rather have a choice, but the vast majority of witnesses said that they did not trust the military justice system, that they were not convinced that investigations would be carried out properly within the military system and that they chose the civilian system. This has been in place since 2022. All the criminal cases of sexual abuse are already before the civilian courts. It works very well, and we do not see the point of going backwards.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her work with the military. Coming from a military family, I appreciate the service of her two sons. We did indeed listen to witnesses, and we are aware that the majority of them do not want their cases made public. They do not want to disclose their assault in public. I think it is important to take their opinions into account, along with everything that was said to Justice Arbour. She heard testimony from 14,000 people, and it is important to consider what they said.

Mr. Speaker, today is Earth Day, a day when we celebrate the beauty of Canada's natural heritage and our shared responsibility to protect it for future generations. To deliver on this commitment, our government has launched “A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature”, backed by a $3.8-billion investment to conserve our rich biodiversity and protect our ecosystems. Can the Secretary of State for Nature tell Canadians how this strategy will produce meaningful results, benefit communities and maintain Canada's position as a conservation leader?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her excellent speech. I am very pleased to learn that this bill will not change my riding's name because, subjectively speaking, I believe Les Pays-d'en-Haut is the most beautiful riding name in Canada. Having said that, I would like my colleague to expand on the challenges of having the “longest ballot” and how the bill would address the challenges we experienced in the last two by-elections in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of Club Fondeurs Laurentides. In 1975, physical education teacher Marc Desjardins decided that cross-country skiing was an excellent way to get our young people moving. Over time, the club grew and now has 650 members from municipalities throughout the Lower Laurentians. Club Fondeurs Laurentides organizes nothing less than Canada's largest cross-country skiing competition for schoolchildren, bringing together more than 2,000 young people, in addition to hosting the Coupe Québec at Sommet Morin Heights in Les Pays-d'en-Haut. I would like to congratulate all the parent volunteers, coaches, board members, and especially the president, Dang Thanh Bùi, former president Daniel Roch, head coach Rémi Brière, and, of course, Marc Desjardins, who, 50 years later, is still bursting with energy and remains involved in all aspects of the club. Congratulations to everyone and long live Club Fondeurs Laurentides.

Mr. Speaker, the world is changing rapidly. The world order has been disrupted, and fast-paced technological advances are changing the way that Canada has to respond to threats. The new Government of Canada has to respond by reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces, by rearming them and by rebuilding them. We are already seeing results. There has been a 13% increase in CAF enlistment, and Canada is on track to meet its 2% target. Can the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade explain to the House how Canada's defence industrial strategy will enahance security and drive economic growth?

Madam Speaker, I must confess that my family also owns an EV. We bought our vehicle in 2022, in large part because of federal and provincial subsidies. I think that is a responsible choice. What we see from the Conservatives is that they never think about climate change. I would like my colleague across the way to tell us about the importance of electrifying transportation as a way to deal with climate change.

Madam Speaker, when he addressed the world at Davos last month, the Prime Minister talked about the gap between rhetoric and reality. That gap is alive and well on the Conservative side of the aisle. The rhetoric is encouraging, with lots of talk of collaboration and working together, but the reality does not always match Conservative words. Canadians want to know if the Conservatives will put country above party, or if they will block important legislation, including the budget implementation act. Can the parliamentary secretary let Canadians know what important measures would be blocked by the Conservative Party?

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Trois-Rivières . I am pleased to rise in the House for the first time in 2026 on behalf of my constituents in Les Pays-d'en-Haut. Before we talk about the future, we need to acknowledge the past. The Government of Canada recognizes that the expropriations carried out for the construction of the Mirabel airport in the late 1960s left deep scars on the people of Mirabel. Families and communities were profoundly affected. The difficult memories associated with these events have never completely faded for many Quebeckers. Apart from the member for Mirabel himself, I am surely the person in the House who has travelled the most through the Mirabel area. As an engineer in Mirabel, I built roads, replaced culverts and worked on water mains, sewers, bike paths and parks. During all this work, I had the pleasure of meeting the people of that beautiful city and working with their employees, specifically those working in technical services. I met the new mayor, who truly has the best interests of her constituents at heart. Whether it is Saint‑Janvier, Saint‑Benoît, Saint‑Hermas, Sainte‑Scholastique, Saint‑Augustin, Sainte‑Monique or Saint‑Canut, each sector of Mirabel is unique, but together they form a city and an RCM, because it is a city-RCM, which is a real force for our region. We are proud to work with the people of Mirabel on a wide range of issues. We can build major projects in Canada without repeating the mistakes of the past. The Bloc Québécois wants Canadians to believe that building high-speed rail will harm their communities. I will have more to say after oral question period.

Mr. Speaker, our Bloc Québécois colleagues want Canadians to believe that building a high-speed rail line will harm their communities, that it will be done without consultation and without the measures we have put in place over the past 60 years. They are trying to justify their opposition to high-speed rail and their goal is to kill the project before the legislation is even passed. They have joined Conservatives in the past to try to cut the initial funding required, and they are trying to do it again today by blocking Bill C‑15. Indeed, their actions are quite fitting, given their name I want to be clear. Expropriation remains a measure of last resort. Negotiating with landowners will always be the preferred approach. That principle will not change. Before turning to Bill C-15, I want to acknowledge what we have heard in recent weeks. Since public consultations began, residents of the Mirabel region have raised concerns about land acquisition, expropriation and the need for direct, respectful engagement. We have heard those concerns clearly, and I can confirm today that Alto will be holding an in-person public session in the Mirabel area later this month, to ensure transparency, dialogue and accountability. I want to explain why Bill C-15 is necessary for this linear project and how it is maintaining appropriate protections for landowners. Bill C-15 is necessary because the high-speed rail initiative is unprecedented in Canada. It involves a corridor of nearly 1,000 kilometres, crossing hundreds of communities and requiring the acquisition of hundreds of pieces of land. Because of the time, cost and complexity involved, land acquisition represents one of the most significant risks to the project, particularly if we are to begin construction in 2029, as announced. The current federal Expropriation Act is a statute of general application. It was not designed for a project of this scale or this complexity. Without a framework adapted to this reality, delays multiply and costs escalate, precisely what communities and taxpayers want to avoid. The land acquisition measures in Bill C-15 are not intended to increase uncertainty. They provide tools to help the government coordinate more effectively and get shovels in the ground faster while maintaining fundamental protections for property owners. Some of these measures have raised concerns, and I want to address them directly. First, contrary to what has been said, expropriation does not take place over email. The intention is to allow communication by email only when the owner has indicated that this is their preferred method of communication and has provided their email address. This is an additional method of communication that supplements, rather than replaces, those provided for in the law. Second, a prohibition on work does not mean that owners lose the use of their land. They will be able to continue their existing agricultural or commercial activities. Owners will also be able to carry out normal maintenance, repairs or work needed to keep their land from deteriorating. Third, Bill C-15 does not prevent landlords from putting their buildings up for sale or allow the federal government to set land values. The right of first refusal is a management tool that informs Alto when an owner is ready to sell. Owners remain completely free to put their property on the market. This tool simply allows Alto to acquire the property on a priority basis at a price previously agreed to by the owner. The Government of Quebec has even given this power to the municipalities in recent years. It is called the right of first refusal. It allows cities to protect strategic or sensitive land without affecting the owner's property value. In my riding of Morin‑Heights, municipal council used this tool to acquire and protect one of the most beautiful pieces of land in the municipality. It is called Castel-Marie, and it is one of the municipality's most stunning parks. The tool works well for buyers and transferors. I can vouch for that. We must also be honest with Canadians about what it takes to deliver projects of this magnitude. High-speed rail is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in our history, a true nation-building initiative. Projects of this scale cannot be delivered without using adaptive tools. This project cannot advance responsibly without these land acquisition measures. Inaction would not preserve the status quo. It would mean delays and higher costs. Importantly, these measures are not unheard of. They are aligned with similar provincial regimes, including Quebec's act respecting expropriation and Ontario's Building Transit Faster Act. The economic stakes are significant. High-speed rail will create tens of thousands of jobs, strengthen productivity, improve regional connectivity and deliver lasting economic benefits for Quebec, Ontario and Canada as a whole. Every year of delay carries real costs for workers, businesses, taxpayers and communities. I support the construction of high-speed rail and Bill C-15. I am asking my Bloc Québécois colleagues to stop blocking the project and get on board.

Mr. Speaker, today I am going to talk about high-speed rail. I will leave pipelines to the experts in that domain. I would just say that everything that has evolved in the last 60 years has brought us to where we are today. Too many people have talked about making a high-speed rail line. We are going ahead with a high-speed rail line, and we are going to do it in record speed. I hope our colleagues from across the way will pass Bill C-15 and get on the train with us.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech. I enjoy working with him on the Standing Committee on National Defence. We have a great relationship. I would just like to toss the ball back to him and quickly point out that the French term for “fast track” is voie rapide. I am very pleased that the Bloc Québécois supports high-speed rail. I would like to know whether my colleague thinks that four years—for consultations, engineering work and everything else— is too fast to implement a project of this scale.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to rise today for the second time in 2026 on behalf of the people of Les Pays-d'en-Haut. We are studying Bill C-227, an act to establish a national strategy on housing for young Canadians. The bill speaks to me personally. I have two children, aged 20 and 23, who are in university. They have to pay exorbitant amounts of money for housing in Montreal. In the coming years, they will have to find another place to live or buy their first home. Bill C‑227 would require the minister to consult with other levels of government as well as stakeholders to develop a national strategy on housing for young people and ensure greater access to affordable and secure housing. We all know that coordination between levels of government is crucial to get results. During my time as mayor of a small municipality, I worked with the provincial and federal governments on a project to build 30 housing units for seniors, and I can confidently say that the complexity of the programs and the time it takes for files to be processed discourage those who want to create housing, whether they are municipalities or non-profit organizations. In our case, five years passed between the initial announcement and the completion of the project. We need to do better. Bill C-227 aims to develop a coordinated national strategy to examine these unique barriers and identify targeted solutions in collaboration with provinces, territories and municipalities. That is what is needed now. Speaking more specifically about young people, young Canadians today are faced with a housing market that is unlike anything we have seen before. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a home, even a rental. The result is a generation that is struggling to put down roots. This challenge is being felt across Quebec and Canada. Without affordable housing options, young Canadians are faced with difficult decisions, such as turning down a job that is too far away, delaying starting a family or feeling disadvantaged compared to previous generations. This undermines Canada's long-term productivity and economic growth. To address these issues, two things need to be done: more money must be put in the pockets of young Canadians, and housing must be built. In the past nine months, our government has done exactly that, and I would like to outline the measures we have put in place to promote affordability for all Canadians and to enable young people to pay their mortgage or rent. As soon as we were elected, we eliminated the carbon tax for individuals. We have made generational progress for Quebeckers, notably by granting a tax reduction for the middle class, which allows Quebeckers to keep more money in their pockets. We are talking about savings of approximately $800 per family. To reduce the upfront cost of buying a new home for young people and stimulate new home construction across the country, we eliminated the GST for first-time homebuyers. That represents savings of up to $50,000. That is very encouraging. We also know that the FHSA, the tax-free first home savings account, is an extraordinary program. My children contribute to it, as do many young Canadians. It represents tax-sheltered savings of nearly $40,000 toward our young people's first home. Canadians work hard to afford housing, but high mortgage payments are a barrier to first-time home ownership, especially for young people. That is why we have relaxed certain mortgage criteria to allow more young people to qualify for a loan. More recently, we announced the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit to protect Canadians' purchasing power. We will put more money directly into the pockets of millions of families. This allowance will benefit more than 12 million Canadians. Child care and dental care programs and school breakfasts will also help ease the financial burden on families. In addition to proposing all these measures to make life more affordable for Canadians, we have also been working on building homes. We have created Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency that will finance and build affordable housing on a large scale. It will also act as a catalyst for a more productive residential construction industry. This is a bold approach that will have positive spin-offs for young people across Canada. One of our government's key commitments is to double the pace of housing construction in Canada to 500,000 units in 10 years. By combining access to federal land, development expertise and financing under one roof, Build Canada Homes will enable us to build new housing more quickly and easily. As of today, 4,000 homes will be built on federal land, with a significant portion of that being affordable housing. In Quebec, things are also moving forward. We have a shared commitment to take action to increase the province's housing supply. The governments of Canada and Quebec are stepping up their collaboration to accelerate housing construction and support community development. Through a joint collaboration table, the two governments will work together to fund housing projects aligned with their shared priorities, to simplify and accelerate approval processes and to ensure better coordination between municipal and community partners. That is exactly the spirit behind Bill C-227. As the former mayor of a small municipality and an engineer by trade, I am well aware that all of these new housing units will have to be serviced by roads, water systems and sewers. Recognizing that accelerating housing construction requires major infrastructure investments, the Government of Quebec and the federal government have also announced the signing of a Canada housing infrastructure fund agreement. We will invest close to $1 billion, which Quebec can use in accordance with its policies and local needs to upgrade and develop critical infrastructure, including the drinking water, waste water and storm water infrastructure essential to new housing developments. These measures and investments and Bill C-227 will provide young people with more housing opportunities. In my riding of Les Pays-d'en-Haut, the average price of a single-family home is $540,000. The average price of a condo is $385,000. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment ranges from $1,200 to $1,500 a month. Most young people in my riding work in recreation and tourism, whether in restaurants, hotels, shops or ski resorts. They tell me that it is extremely difficult to afford housing on the wages they earn. Many young people are leaving Les Pays-d'en-Haut for other regions where housing is less expensive. That is unacceptable. Bill C-227 allows us to take another step in the right direction. I can say that we are here for young people. I hope that my colleagues across the aisle will prioritize the demands of our young people and vote in favour of this bill. On behalf of my children and all young people across the country, I thank the member for Sackville—Bedford—Preston for his work on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has a world-class aerospace industry, particularly in Quebec. Our aerospace sector will play an invaluable role in our efforts to build the strongest economy in the G7. It generates $15 billion in GDP and provides more than 40,000 jobs in Quebec. The budget implementation act contains important measures to protect and strengthen our aerospace sector. Quebeckers want these measures to become reality. Could the Minister of Finance remind those who are blocking and delaying the passage of the budget implementation act how they are harming Quebec's aerospace sector?

Madam Speaker, if I may switch gears, we created the Major Projects Office this year. We have announced three major projects in Quebec. The first is the container terminal in Contrecoeur, which will generate economic spinoffs worth $140 million a year. The second is the Alto high-speed train, which is expected to inject $35 billion into the GDP and create 51,000 jobs between Quebec City and Windsor. The third is the eastern energy partnership, which will see Quebec invest in Churchill Falls and Gull Island to bring clean energy to Quebec. I would like to hear my esteemed colleague's thoughts on these three projects.

Mr. Chair, I am very pleased to say that the Groupe Crête lumber mill is in my riding, in Chertsey. When we met with the representatives of Groupe Crête, they explained that they were having a lot of problems with forest access. The Quebec forestry regime was introduced some years ago. It was denounced by the industry as unworkable, and then abandoned. I would like to hear what my hon. colleague has to say about that.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to honour André Genest's 35 years of community service. Born in Wentworth‑Nord in Les Pays‑d'en‑Haut, André spent his life serving everyone in his community. In addition to his career in municipal government, he worked as an educator in a youth centre and even welcomed into his home children who were homeless and lacked hope. He was elected as a municipal councillor in 1990 and served six terms as mayor of Wentworth‑Nord and two terms as reeve of Les Pays‑d'en‑Haut RCM, directly elected by the people, from 2017 to 2025. He also represented the 1,050 municipalities of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités on the board of directors. Although André successfully managed a number of major projects during his career, I am confident that the sports complex is the one he is most proud of. He brought together nine municipalities around a $45-million collective project, which will be his legacy for future generations. After 35 years of service, his last day as an elected official was November 2. I would like to wish my friend André, on my own behalf and on behalf of the members of the House, a happy retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I have just returned from a high-level defence gathering at the Halifax International Security Forum. In the budget, the government announced $81 billion in defence spending over the next five years. The member and I know that many businesses in Mirabel will benefit from this spending. I would like to know whether he will stand up for the interests of his constituents and their businesses and vote with us to support the budget so that the riding of Mirabel gets its piece of the defence investment pie.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech, which was as passionate as ever. Bloc Québécois members are still discussing a hypothetical project, whereas we are engaged in hands-on work. Let me give one example of a no-nonsense report we recently received. According to a report by Investissement Québec, Quebec companies have made significant progress in the export field, and have signed agreements amounting to $4.3 billion in exports. Additionally, foreign companies have generated $6.5 billion in investments in Quebec. The more we diversify our economy, the better it is for Canadians and Quebeckers. I would like to ask my colleague across the way if he is going to join us in the push to diversify Canada's economy.

Mr. Speaker, on September 12, a major fire destroyed the Val‑des‑Monts elementary school in Prévost, which was quite a shock for the children, their families and the community. Despite the fire department's quick response, the school was a total loss. However, Prévost is a tight-knit community and quickly sprang into action. The children were relocated to four other schools in the area and they were able to go back to class on September 18. The 400 children only missed three days of school. This remarkable outcome was the result of outstanding efforts. I would like to highlight the work of the teachers and school administration of the Val‑des‑Monts school, the staff at the Centre de services scolaires de la Rivière‑du‑Nord, and Mayor Paul Germain and his team who organized a fundraiser that raised $140,000 to replace students' school supplies. I would also like to thank Sonia Bélanger, the MNA for Prévost, and Sonia Lebel, the education minister. When a community works together for the well-being of children, anything is possible.