Sébastien Lemire
Abitibi—Témiscamingue, Quebec · Bloc Québécois · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, I find it ironic that the member from downtown Toronto gave a speech on the challenge of access to housing and housing construction, because I get the impression that, for the last 30 years, the federal government has been doing nothing but building housing in downtown Toronto.”
“Mr. Speaker, five years ago, I rose in the House to note that my son, Léon, was finishing elementary school. Naturally, five years later, it is time for his high school graduation ceremony, which he will be attending on Saturday.”
“That is, of course, provided that it does not take two years to sign the agreements, meaning that inflation eats up the lion's share of the funds allocated to Quebec. The Canada housing infrastructure fund agreement was finally signed after two years.”
“As a result, it has to ask CMHC—or perhaps I should say “the agency formerly known as CMHC”—to do what it used to do: review applications. Who suffers as a result? The projects and the organizations themselves. For my region, the upshot of this is that we will often miss the construction season.”
“It is rather ironic that the Auditor General of Canada issued a report on child care services. As members know, this policy resulted in an unconditional transfer being made to Quebec. That is because, in 1997, Quebec had already created the network of early childhood centres to provide affordable child care for everyone.”
“Mr. Speaker, I wish I were wrong, but the record of the last 10 years in this Parliament shows that I am not wrong and that funding does not reach Quebec, or if it does, it is only after several years' delay. Obviously, this means there is less money in current dollars available for the construction of these homes.”
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“(1250) It would also have been a good idea for this government to make interest-free loans available to first-time homebuyers, as a way to help them put together a down payment more quickly so they could access home ownership faster. This would have enabled many Quebeckers to combine the benefits of the FHSA and these types of loans in order to purchase a property. This is a simple and effective measure that poses no danger to the government. The cost would have been low, and it would have helped stimulate the economy, particularly through housing construction. At the same time, it would have helped our forestry sector.”
“That was the date on which the government announced its intention of eliminating the GST for first-time homebuyers, but the government turned around and decided to go with the date of May 27 for its bill. Clearly, there is a lack of consistency here that created a gap, and many young families fell through it. I would also remind the House that first-time homebuyers are by definition tenants. In Quebec, leases expire on June 30. Keeping May 27 as the date caused problems for first-time homebuyers in Quebec, who had to find someone to assign their lease to, rather than simply notify their landlord that they would not be renewing it. Our amendment served a dual purpose: It sought to ensure the government's integrity and respond to Quebec's reality.”
“Instead of adjusting the calculation in Quebec, the federal government is cutting services to seniors. I can say that my office is getting calls from seniors about this. On top of that, the Bloc Québécois had specifically asked the government to help seniors with declining incomes by increasing old age security for seniors aged 65 to 74 to put them on an equal footing with those aged 75 and over. All we were really asking for is that the government stop discriminating based on age. The government decided to reject that measure after supporting it last year. That brings me to the matter of the GST on new homes. Once again, this is a worthwhile measure with which we agree. However, we had to fight with the government, because it tried to reject our amendment that would have moved the effective date to March 20 of this year.”
“This bill would also have a negative impact on some taxpayers because it is poorly drafted. For example, some seniors who are subject to the alternative minimum tax would see their tax burden increase. People who are entitled to certain non-refundable credits, like the disability tax credit or the medical expense tax credit, would lose out. Roughly 60,000 people would be affected by an increase in their taxes, even though they should be entitled to this tax cut. This brings to mind a rather special situation in Quebec in recent years. Quebec has increased the Quebec pension plan to help seniors. Because that pension income went up, the guaranteed income supplement on the federal side went down. It is the poorest people who have been hit the hardest.”
“In short, these tax savings are interesting, but they will raise the cost of other services that taxpayers are entitled to receive. In essence, this tax cut is like robbing Peter to pay Paul. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, these tax cuts will cost $28.2 billion over five years. That is a third of the current deficit. That is a lot of money for the government, money that could have been used to build more housing and to spur the construction of sports and recreation infrastructure in the regions, while promoting the use of lumber to reduce the impact on the forestry sector. That money could have been used to provide more support for first-time homebuyers. It could have been used to increase health transfers to improve services for our constituents, particularly seniors. It is all about choices and priorities.”
“In the coming years, the government will be forced to take action by making cuts all over the place. Therefore, asking where this $210 in savings is going to come from is a legitimate question. If taxpayers have to resort to the private health care sector to get an appointment more quickly because of government cuts to health transfers, those savings disappear. If taxpayers see their rent go up because Ottawa fails to transfer money for housing to the provinces, those savings disappear. There is no shortage of examples of ways that those savings could disappear, whether through cuts to federal-provincial transfers or a reduction in the quality of public services following draconian cuts to certain key services.”
“Mr. Speaker, if I may, I will be sharing my time with the member for Berthier—Maskinongé . To no one's surprise, the Bloc Québécois will oppose this bill, because it fails to meet Quebeckers' real needs in several respects. Let us begin with the elephant in the room: the tax cut. No one can be against tax cuts, obviously, but it is all a matter of perspective. Currently, the maximum tax reduction for an individual taxpayer amounts to a savings of $4 a week this year and $8 a week in 2026. During the student strike, that would not even pay for one coffee a day. In other words, the taxpayer will receive a maximum of $210 in 2025. This brings us back to a crucial question. What is Canada's financial position? Right now, the budget deficit is estimated at $78 billion.”
“People will take the cheque, but the generational debt will remain. Should that money have been invested elsewhere, perhaps in our forestry industry?”
“Mr. Speaker, I really enjoyed my colleague's speech, and I especially appreciated when he mentioned the forestry plant closures in Quebec. That is what happened with the Arbec mill in Amos, in my riding. I wonder if he could talk about solutions that could have been included in this bill. For example, the Bloc Québécois is proposing that the federal government pay 50% of the countervailing duties being imposed. Everyone agrees that borrowing from the federal government is essentially cost-free. The result is that it is the people on the ground, namely the machinery owners and so on, who end up paying. A wage subsidy would also be useful. That is the context, but what did the government propose in this bill? It plans to lower taxes. What does that mean? It means that one-third of this year's deficit will go into people's pockets.”
“However, when it comes to big corporations receiving billions of dollars, this government is clearly showing that not everyone is equal under the law. What my colleague from Simcoe North is proposing is another tool for transparency. However, there are concerns about the protection of individuals, which clearly requires further study in committee. Still, as mentioned, the $1-million threshold makes this bill worth studying. We agree in principle, but we want this bill to be carefully studied in committee.”
“The initial $1.25-billion loan to Chrysler accrued interest for nine years, only to be forgiven in its entirety. Meanwhile, the new entity, which is now profitable, has no obligation to repay Quebec and Canadian taxpayers. A similar loan granted to General Motors, worth over $1 billion, also remains outstanding. That is precisely why we agree in principle with the intent of this bill, while recognizing that its provisions deserve to be studied in greater detail in committee to ensure that it is implemented responsibly and effectively. It is important to take action. Quebec taxpayers have to pay back their debts. The latest report from Employment and Social Development Canada showed that it had recovered $2.7 billion of the $3.2 billion in overpayments.”
“The need for greater transparency becomes even more apparent when we recall the ordeal faced by Chrysler, one of the federal government's most significant and least explicable financial decisions in recent history. Nearly 10 years after the U.S., Canadian and Ontario governments bailed out Chrysler and General Motors during the financial crisis, Ottawa quietly wrote off $2.6 billion in debt that Chrysler had never repaid. This decision appeared only as a line item in the Public Accounts of Canada, without any explanation, identification of the company concerned, or justification for the loss to taxpayers. Subsequent reports revealed what the Auditor General had pointed out years earlier, that the federal government had not required a restructuring plan, had not monitored the use of funds, and had not ensured meaningful accountability.”
“At the same time, the Auditor General revealed major shortcomings in the management of the emergency programs, including the fact that hundreds of millions of dollars were entrusted to a multinational corporation without proper oversight. Once again, ordinary entrepreneurs are subject to strict repayment schedules, while the federal government is much more lenient toward these large corporations and outside contractors. This imbalance undermines public confidence and reinforces the need for greater transparency. This is in addition to the $2.5 billion in foregone revenue from the 1% annual tax on vacant or underutilized housing that was introduced in January 2022 and repealed by the government in its latest budget.”
“(1800) That is exactly the reality that my colleague, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, who was rightfully elected in Terrebonne in 2021, pointed out to the government for more than two years. She consistently called for more flexible repayment terms for the Canada emergency business account, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses facing high inflation, economic uncertainty and the real threat of having to shut their doors. When Ottawa finally announced minor adjustments, it became clear that the measures fell far short of meeting the needs of Quebec's small businesses. Extending certain deadlines by a few days or months does nothing to help seasonal industries, tourism operators or family businesses that are already struggling due to rising interest rates.”
“A business owner borrowed $56,000 to develop local tourism, only to discover that, despite having been extended, the repayment deadlines were still impossible to meet for a highly seasonal business facing inflation and rising interest rates. All she was asking for was more time. We have similar cases in my region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Community futures development corporations have told us that these cases are not unique. In our regions, very small businesses, even non-profit organizations, were unable to repay their loans on time. Meanwhile, big corporations like Chrysler have benefited from debt forgiveness in the past. This double standard is unacceptable. Small and medium-sized businesses should not be left behind while large corporations quietly benefit from decisions made behind closed doors.”
“It seems to me that these sums should be repaid. The money could be used to fund housing, fund health transfers, and ensure that we do not run up a $78-billion deficit. While my former colleague from Terrebonne, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, was fighting to help small and medium-sized businesses get more time, the government was offering huge gifts to large companies. This lack of transparency is even more troubling when we look at what is happening on the ground, in regions such as the Gaspé Peninsula, where business owners have been struggling just to survive. While large companies quietly benefited from tax breaks worth billions of dollars, small businesses are struggling to repay modest emergency loans taken out during the pandemic.”
“Is it because of taxes not paid by individuals? Were they EI overpayments? In short, without any details, we can only speculate. Fortunately, the work of journalists has helped us see things a little more clearly. According to an article in The Globe and Mail, the government wrote off or forgave more than $18 billion in debt and other obligations in 2024, a $13-billion increase over the previous year. That is more than the Quebec government's deficit. This followed another report by the same media outlet showing that 11 companies accounted for a quarter of the $4.9 billion that had been announced before the year-end balance sheet. In 2023, $1 billion of the $5 billion in write-offs applied to just five cases. Why does the government not disclose the names of the companies that benefited from these huge gifts?”
“This creates a certain degree of anonymity in contracts. I wish companies that win government contracts were always identified by their business names so it would be easier to find them in government documents. The registry would also specify the amount that was waived, written off or forgiven by the government, the period to which the amount relates and the act under which the debt, obligation or claim was owed or arose. This information is important because Quebec and Canadian taxpayers are the ones financing the various companies to which the government grants loans. In 2024-25, the government wrote off $7.3 billion, according to the 2025 public accounts. Of that amount, $5 billion was written off by the Canada Revenue Agency. However, it is impossible to determine how the government deprived itself of such a large sum.”
“His bill aims to create a public registry, in the form of an online, searchable database, of information on any debt or obligation owed by, or any claim made against, a corporation, trust company or partnership. To avoid the public disclosure of all debts, obligations and claims, the bill also specifies that it would apply exclusively to debts, obligations or claims over $1 million that have been waived, written off or forgiven, in whole or in part. The registry would specify the name of the corporation, trust company or partnership. I also like the fact that our colleague included the concept of business names to prevent companies from hiding behind a number. I am sure that my colleague feels the same frustration I do when I look over public accounts and see some companies identified by a number only.”
“Madam Speaker, before I begin my speech, I just want to take a moment for some acknowledgements. I am fortunate to be supported by a parliamentary intern, Emily Gough. I thank her for being part of our team and for the conscientious approach she takes to her work, both for committees and for speeches. Many of the words I will read today are hers. As the Bloc Québécois critic for public accounts, I want to highlight the initiative of my colleague from Simcoe North , his desire to hold the government to account and to be transparent. I appreciated his answer to the question I asked him about how much it would cost. He said that it would not incur any additional costs because, essentially, this data is already being collected. Why not make it public? That is an interesting point.”
“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Simcoe North for his leadership on this issue, which I think is grounded in one fundamental value: transparency. I would like to hear his comments on the consequences this measure could have in that regard, as well as the costs it could entail, both in terms of human resources and for the government. I would particularly like him to elaborate on the expected benefits. What impact would this have on the treasury and how much does he estimate it would be?”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my Conservative colleague for her speech, which was clearly based on her convictions and came from the heart. I appreciated it. While the member was giving her speech, another speech was being delivered that we could describe as also coming from the heart: Minister Guilbeault announced his resignation as minister—”
“Madam Chair, I want to clarify something. In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 600 people have temporarily lost their jobs in the forestry industry over the past year. Obviously, these people still have hope. That said, the forestry industry is an entire ecosystem. There are forestry contractors who work and invest in machinery, who take out loans ranging from $100,000 to $300,000 for machinery without any guarantees. These people have not received any support from the government. Is there no way to propose solutions that are tailored to their situation? It is all well and good to talk about Donald Trump, the United States and how to proceed, but there are people suffering on the ground. How is the government going to help them? I look forward to hearing some solutions.”
“At some point, it is going to take more than a line of credit to manage this situation. These people have expectations of the government. What will the government do to provide meaningful assistance to workers in the forestry industry?”
“Madam Chair, we all need to be aware of the situation and its impact. Last week, Arbec cut 100 jobs. Abitibi—Témiscamingue has been hit hard over the past year. Hundreds of jobs have been lost. I will ask the question. We all know the metaphor. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Clearly, that sound is not reaching Ottawa, it is not reaching the government, because it is not taking any action. In concrete terms, jobs and families are being affected. Plus, there is a network of small businesses in the background. There are entrepreneurs who buy machinery and use whatever room they have on their credit cards. How did the government and the Minister of Finance respond? They are going to provide a line of credit.”
“Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for his very thoughtful speech. First and foremost, I would like to point out that an error was made in good faith during the debate. I call on all parties to allow us to repeat the second five-minute segment and, in the spirit of debate, to allow my colleague to share his speaking time with me, the member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue. We know that this debate is fundamental for Quebec, and Quebec's regions need to be heard. I appeal for clemency and respect from the Chair.”
“I am one of those dogs, and I will keep barking until Louis Riel and the Red River Métis get justice. That will take immediate acts of recognition.”
“Mr. Speaker, on November 16, 1885, Manitoba's founder, Louis Riel, a Red River Métis and a brother to Quebec, was hanged. Unlike English Canadians, Quebeckers have always seen him as a hero who took a stand for the French language and for his people. Like the Patriots of Quebec, he suffered the same fate that Canada reserved for anyone who opposed its power: the gallows. The men and women of Quebec gathered at Champ-de-Mars in Montreal to voice their discontent. This mass rally demonstrated the deep ties between the Métis people and Quebec. We have never forgotten Louis Riel. He still appears in our history books as the hero of a larger-than-life movement. We know and have not forgotten what Canada and its prime minister did back then. Yes, the dogs in Quebec barked in his favour.”
“Madam Speaker, I would like to point out that my colleague's speech was very thoughtful, covered a number of issues and was rather nuanced. I appreciate that and hold her in high regard. My colleague raised the issue of public safety in rural areas. I am very concerned about that particular issue. I was in Notre‑Dame‑du‑Nord yesterday, a village near Ontario, in Témiscamingue, where thefts are becoming increasingly frequent. One possible solution is to have more resources for collaboration between the various police forces. I am thinking of the Sûreté du Québec and the Ontario Provincial Police, as well as the indigenous police forces. My colleague mentioned that this is a problem elsewhere in rural Canada. Is she seeing an increase in organized crime in our regions? What solutions is she proposing?”
“Madam Speaker, we agree that the budget contains massive amounts of money for the deficit and huge amounts for defence. That is a $78‑billion deficit with more than $50 billion invested in defence. Does my colleague think it is responsible to invest in defence by using deficit spending?”
“Madam Speaker, I find it interesting to hear my colleague talk about the consequences this budget will have on taxpayers. Is it normal for the federal government to invest public money to purchase a pipeline, as it did with Trans Mountain? Elsewhere in the budget, tens of billions of dollars is being paid out in subsidies. The forestry industry is basically being ignored in this budget, yet tens of billions of dollars are being poured into the oil and gas industry once again. Is it normal to invest public money in the oil sands, in oil and gas?”
“I am also thinking about the entire ecosystem, about the ordinary workers who invested tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in machinery and equipment thinking that there would be a thriving industry, but Ottawa is not delivering. What is the parliamentary secretary actually going to do to help the people in the forestry industry, who are the ones who need it most?”
“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Calgary Confederation for his speech. Obviously, we have heard a lot about his concern for the oil and gas industry, and that is reflected in the budget. That is not the problem. The oil industry has virtually unlimited financial resources. The people who need help are in the forestry industry. Since last fall, 600 jobs in Abitibi—Témiscamingue have been affected by the forestry crisis, yet Ottawa is not making any investments in that area. Last week, Arbec Forest Products announced that 100 people in Amos would be laid off just before Christmas. One hundred families will be affected.”
“Development assistance policies are not just charity, they represent foresight. International assistance also contributes to relieving the pressures that drive populations to leave their home. When we support local economies, we help small businesses get off the ground and we strengthen education systems.”
“Even more worrying is the fact that only half of the projects funded were in fact reported to Parliament. Canadians cannot effectively evaluate our international assistance initiatives if the government itself does not have any information. Annual reports would strengthen transparency and restore trust, and would enable Parliament to properly assess the impact of Canadian projects abroad. The Bloc Québécois continues to support the international objective of investing 0.7% of gross national income in official development assistance. This objective was set by the United Nations in 1970. More than half a century later, Canada still has no plan to achieve it. Its focus is on the short term only. Climate change, conflicts and forced displacements all reach our borders eventually. Investing in prevention abroad means fewer humanitarian crises.”
“If a new portal is created, it must be simple, transparent and affordable. It must not morph into another multimillion-dollar contract that gets awarded to international consultants instead of being developed within the government, where it belongs. The third element of the motion is the one the Bloc Québécois supports most strongly, requiring the Minister of International Development to report to Parliament annually on the effectiveness of our international assistance and how it benefits Canada. In 2023, the Auditor General brought to light an utter failure at Global Affairs Canada, when the minister was unable to demonstrate how the department's $3.5 billion in annual development funding had improved the lives of women and girls under Canada's feminist international assistance policies.”
“However, we cannot ignore Ottawa's track record. Every time the federal government announces a new administrative system, it ends up outsourcing the design to an external consultant, often at an eye-watering cost. The COVID Alert app, the ArriveCAN app, the Phoenix pay system, and the Canada Border Services Agency's assessment and revenue management system are just a few examples. All were supposed to simplify federal operations, but all turned into costly failures. Let us be very clear on this point. The federal public service already has the necessary staff and expertise to design its programs and manage its tools. Our public servants know their stuff. They understand how international assistance works. They do not need to farm this work out to some big consulting firm. We are going to be watching.”
“Over the years, they have made it possible for nursing students from our region to participate in internships in Africa and South America, experiences that shaped their careers and connected Abitibi—Témiscamingue to the rest of the world in a very real way. Thanks to their leadership, many young people from Abitibi—Témiscamingue have had the opportunity to participate in projects that have helped them expand their skill set and deepen their understanding of global health issues. I sincerely thank them for their commitment. The second section of the motion calls for the creation of a new dedicated economic partnerships window for projects that align poverty reduction with Canada's economic security. Again, this is not an idea we are opposed to. A dedicated tool or portal could help to streamline project development.”
“The Université du Québec en Abitibi—Témiscamingue, or UQAT, offers a master's degree and a graduate diploma in global health, and the Abitibi—Témiscamingue CEGEP has long offered international internships, giving students the opportunity to work in health, global development and community development programs abroad. This is in addition to the many high schools in the region that also participate in exchange programs and solidarity initiatives. I would like to recognize the remarkable work of people in our region who have made history in this field. I am thinking, for example, of former professor Mario Brulé and current professor Johanne Toupin from UQAT, who co-founded Nurses Without Borders.”
“(1125) Even in its own national calls for tenders, Ottawa designs processes that exclude SMEs by default because the administrative burdens and eligibility requirements are tailored to large institutions and urban centres. If the government really wants small players to be included in international aid, it needs to start by simplifying its own processes. This is another reason why the Bloc Québécois amendment is so important. It ensures that the motion's intentions translate into real access for organizations in the regions. We also see this international commitment in our academic institutions.”
“We have already seen how the expertise available in our region of Abitibi—Témiscamingue can change things abroad. When two miners were trapped underground in the Dominican Republic back in 2022, it was Machines Roger International, a Val‑d'Or company, that provided the drilling equipment needed for the rescue operation. These machines were flown in by the Canadian Forces and used on site to reach the workers. People back home followed the story closely and with immense pride. This shows that a company from our region that is not a huge multinational is capable of responding and helping save lives. Small and medium-sized businesses already have the expertise needed to contribute internationally, and they are being contacted directly. What they need is a federal system that does not put obstacles in the way.”
“International aid can also support development abroad while bolstering the economies of different countries. When it is done responsibly, both sides benefit. Let me give another concrete example. Let us say that Canada is providing assistance to a partner country in South America for the construction of a hydroelectric dam. Instead of paying the entire amount to companies located abroad, Canada could use part of this assistance to enlist the expertise of Hydro-Québec or any Quebec company operating in this sector. The partner country would receive sustainable infrastructure and Canada would be investing in a climate-friendly project. Quebec companies would be contributing their world-class expertise in hydroelectricity. This kind of co-operation would create real value for both parties.”
“This organization has been supporting international co-operation projects for over 40 years. Its mission is simple but essential: to help develop projects abroad, raise awareness of global solidarity and promote responsible consumption here at home. Since 1984, Corcovado has had deep roots in Abitibi—Témiscamingue, where it works to improve living conditions and build a better future for communities in Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. It maintains long-standing partnerships based on trust and genuine community engagement. However, despite their history and the quality of their work, organizations like Corcovado still struggle to access federal funding because they operate outside major urban centres. Corcovado has to fund its mission by operating a bookstore, where it sells donated books at affordable prices.”
“However, they are often sidelined when federal funding is distributed, not because they lack expertise but because they are not close to Ottawa or to the major centralized networks. Our amendment seeks to correct this imbalance by ensuring that non-profit organizations and small co-operation centres located outside major urban areas have the same opportunities for federal funding as larger organizations. It is about fairness as well as results. These regional organizations carry out high-impact and high-transparency projects abroad and deserve to be included in the system. I would like to highlight the work of the Centre de solidarité internationale Corcovado, located in my riding of Rouyn-Noranda. It is a perfect example of what I have been talking about.”
“His work reflects our party's long-standing commitment to regional equity and the leadership that Quebec organizations have shown in international co-operation for decades. This amendment is not symbolic; it addresses a very real and persistent problem. Too often, federal programs focus their funding on large urban centres, ignoring the expertise found in remote regions like Abitibi‑Témiscamingue, the north shore, Quebec's northern regions, Saguenay—Lac‑Saint‑Jean, the Lower St. Lawrence, the Gaspé region, the Magdalen Islands and other communities, such as Mont‑Laurier. Small international co-operation centres, many of which have been established in their communities since the 1970s and 1980s, play a key role. They promote sustainable, community-based development abroad and maintain strong and lasting partnerships.”
“Madam Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not start my speech by wishing a very happy birthday to my dear colleague from Laurentides—Labelle , who is kicking off her 50th year with her usual poise. I am pleased to rise today to speak to this motion, which proposes a new international assistance framework in Canada. The Bloc Québécois supports the spirit of this motion, but, as is often the case in the House, it also believes that the motion can and should be improved. That is why we moved an amendment, which is essential for making this motion fair, balanced and representative of the realities in Quebec and in small communities in Canada. I want to thank my Bloc colleague from Lac-Saint-Jean for presenting his amendment.”
“Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the 100 or so workers at Arbec, in Amos, who have been laid off. The company had no choice, because Ottawa ignored the needs that the industry and the Bloc Québécois have been hammering home for weeks. We need a wage subsidy, specifically in order to avoid layoffs like these. For the industry in general, the federal government must offer 50% of the Americans' countervailing and anti-dumping duties. The Liberals did nothing in the budget, and 100 families in my riding are finding out that they will be struggling to make ends meet this holiday season. Now, what is the government going to do for them?”
“How can my colleague rise before fixing the unjustifiable gap that has been created and that is keeping seniors in poverty? I would like him to stand up and tell us what actions his party is taking to protect seniors, because I do not see any.”
“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and for having the nerve to rise in the House to defend the indefensible, and by that I mean this budget. Obviously, I will be voting against it. Why? For one thing, because my constituents gave me a mandate to defend them. Barely seven months have gone by, but if we have to go plant signs in the snow again, we will, because this budget tramples on our convictions. I find it especially hypocritical of the Liberals to pretend that they held consultations. That is completely untrue. Our demands were practically stricken from the budget in advance to make sure they would not pass. I think that the Liberals did the same with all the other parties. I just want to point out how the Liberals have been penny-pinching with seniors.”
“Madam Speaker, my region of Abitibi—Témiscamingue has been experiencing some stormy weather. Fortunately, I have my winter tires on. It took me an extra hour to get here to Ottawa last night. We should all be ready for a potential election, unless the Conservative Party decides to chicken out, as the saying goes. Can my colleague give us the scoop or some sort of indication of what her party plans to do later to ensure that an election is called or is not called?”