Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault
Madawaska—Restigouche, New Brunswick · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear what my colleague has to say about the fact that, through the economic update, we are continuing to implement our action plan for official languages, with $4.1 billion to support the vitality of francophone communities everywhere outside Quebec.”
“Mr. Speaker, after the economic update was released, several unions praised our initiative to develop the team Canada strong initiative to recruit up to 100,000 new skilled workers. We implemented a series of measures to help these people, particularly apprentices, on their journey to certification.”
“Madam Speaker, the Conservative Party used to call itself the party of law and order. Unfortunately, today, the Conservatives no longer have any credibility on this issue. When the time comes to better protect victims, what do the Conservatives do? They vote against it.”
“Today, we are focusing specifically on the proposed Senate amendment to add the noose to the list of symbols of hate. The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights has heard from numerous witnesses and organizations who have stated that the noose is a recognized symbol of terror and intimidation against Black people and that it should be…”
“This is how we strengthen our shared way of life and the truly Canadian values of respect, equality and dignity. I will use the last few minutes of my time to say that I am disappointed by the excessive partisanship we have seen in the debate on Bill C‑9 .”
“I do not believe this is commensurate with the issues before us, and I find it deplorable. Lastly, beyond the issue of hate symbols, Bill C‑9 is an important step forward in a number of ways.”
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“We are also going to invest in affordable housing. Furthermore, in terms of infrastructure, I would like to highlight some investments that have been made through the rural transit solutions fund, because this fund has a direct impact on the constituents of my riding, Madawaska—Restigouche. My predecessor, Mr. Arseneault, had the opportunity to announce $1.4 million in funding to launch a public transit service under the FlexGo umbrella in the Edmundston and Upper Madawaska region, and last fall I had the great pleasure of announcing an additional $700,000 investment to expand the service to the communities of Vallée-des-Rivières, Grand Falls, Saint-Quentin, and Kedgwick. This flexible public transportation service, tailored to the realities of rural areas, will soon be launched in several new communities in my region.”
“It contributes to children's well-being, because no child should spend a day at school on an empty stomach. We have agreements with all the provinces and territories. In the province of New Brunswick, which I represent in the House, we are going to invest around $11.2 million over the next three years. This will provide healthy meals to nearly 57,000 children in over 160 additional schools across the province. That is huge. I like to point out the various direct assistance measures, but also that we are making investments in critical infrastructure that will have an impact on the cost of living. I am thinking in particular of the investments we are making in housing. We are going to fast-track housing construction across the country. The idea is to have an impact on the supply-demand balance so that prices can come down.”
“The idea is to strengthen our national production capacity and contribute to stabilizing prices for consumers in the medium term. (1230) We also introduced Canada's national school food program. The program was launched in 2024 with a $1 billion funding envelope over five years. In budget 2025, we announced the good news that we would make funding for the program permanent. That means we will continue to fund meals for children in schools after 2029. The program is essential for helping provinces, territories and indigenous partners expand their existing food programs so that more children across the country get the healthy meals they need. The goal is to serve additional meals to more than 400,000 Canadian children. The program benefits both parents and children. It saves participating families about $800 per year.”
“To that end, we will be setting aside $500 million in the strategic response fund to help businesses handle the pressures on their supply chains. In addition, we are going to set up a $150‑million food security fund as part of the regional tariff response initiative to help our small and medium-sized businesses and the organizations that support them. Finally, to reduce food production costs and increase domestic supply, we plan to introduce tax incentives, namely immediate expensing for greenhouses. We know that Canadian summers, when vegetables and other foods are produced, are quite short due to the climate. We want to increase investment in greenhouses so that we can produce more food year-round in this country.”
“This strategy would help strengthen food production in Canada and improve access to affordable, high-quality and nutritious food for all communities across the country. I will certainly be following the development of this strategy with great interest in the coming months. It will also include the implementation of unit price labelling to help consumers make informed choices, as well as increased support from the Competition Bureau to ensure rigorous oversight of the food market and its supply chains. Real and fair competition means fairer prices at the checkout for consumers. We are also supporting our food businesses so they can deal with the challenges caused by the tariff dispute without passing on the costs to consumers.”
“This food inflation, which is affecting not only Canada, but also many other countries around the world, stems from many factors, including the disruptions to the supply chain in the wake of the pandemic, extreme climate events such as droughts and floods, the current tariffs and global monetary pressures. Even though inflation is starting to stabilize, the cost of living, the cost of food in particular, continues to weigh heavily on Canadian households. That is why we took action and will continue to take action. Through various social measures and by lowering taxes for the middle class, we are providing immediate support to Canadians to give them a bit of relief when they need it most. However, we also need to tackle the root causes. That is why we are currently developing a national food security strategy.”
“This is a concrete measure we are implementing to put more money back in the pockets of middle-class families. When Parliament resumed in January, we started the Monday morning by announcing the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which will be based on the current GST credit. People who already had access to this credit will receive a 25% increase starting July 1 and a one-time payment representing 50% of the increase. This is yet another measure to put money back in the pockets of Canadians. I want to emphasize that this measure will target those who need it most, namely low- and modest-income Canadians. We want to help them cope with the rising cost of living. The rising cost of food over the past few years has been a real source of stress and uncertainty for many Canadian families. We fully recognize that reality.”
“There is a bit of a lag until we can see the impact of the transformative changes we are making to the economy. In the meantime, we recognize that many Canadians across the country continue to feel the pressure of everyday costs and need help today. That is why we announced a series of measures to help Canadians. Let me give an example. Very early in our mandate, one of the first measures we announced was a tax cut for the middle class, which will help more than 22 million Canadians. I am pointing this out again because tax season is upon us. I am pleased to report that many Canadians will be seeing some savings compared to the 2024 tax return. That could mean as much as $420 a year for a single person and as much as $840 for a two-income household.”
“Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of our mandate, we have been taking meaningful action to strengthen and unify the Canadian economy and make it more competitive and resilient. We started by removing federal barriers to interprovincial trade. We are in the process of developing new international trade partnerships. We are attracting foreign investment here in Canada. In budget 2025, we proposed various tax incentives for investment and innovation. Our goal is to build a stronger economy, one that works for everyone. We want to give Canadians good job opportunities, more career opportunities and higher wages. We will achieve that result through the various economic policies we are putting in place. We will not see results overnight, however.”
“Is that because this is no longer important to them or because something in the political context has changed and is now causing them to be guided by partisanship to the detriment of the environment?”
“Mr. Speaker, in his introduction, my colleague mentioned that it is important for us to work together constructively and to set aside partisanship in order to find solutions that meet the public's needs. He also mentioned his dissatisfaction with the fact that our Conservative colleagues are seeking to roll back our environmental protection measures. However, in my book, actions speak louder than words. Last fall, our colleagues from the Bloc Québécois had the opportunity to do something meaningful for the environment by voting in favour of Bill C-241 , introduced by my colleague from Terrebonne , which seeks to establish a national strategy for flood forecasting. My Bloc colleagues voted against the bill, even though they had voted for a similar version of the same bill in 2024.”
“Mr. Speaker, I heard some great news in my colleague's speech. He said that he would support any measure to strengthen Canadians' purchasing power. Bill C‑19 will help us support Canadians while we wait for the effects of our transformative changes to the economy to take place. If I understand correctly, my colleague will not only vote in support of Bill C‑19 but also in support of our budget because, in the budget, we have a number of incentives to stimulate the economy and encourage innovation in Canada, which will result in strengthening Canadians' purchasing power. Did I correctly understand my colleague's remarks? Can we expect that he will be voting in support of Bill C‑19 as well as the budget?”
“Today, we are proposing other measures to help people cope with the cost of living, whether it is the new benefit we are going to put in place to help people pay for groceries and essentials, the increase in the budget for food banks or the national food strategy. I would like to know whether the Conservatives will once again oppose our efforts to make life more affordable, or whether they will work with us to meet the needs of Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, we have been working since day one to build a strong economy that works for everyone. We want people to have access to better jobs, better opportunities and better wages. Thanks to our efforts to strengthen the Canadian economy, that is what is going to happen. In the meantime, we must be there to support people. We have already announced several measures, such as a tax cut for the middle class and the breakfast program, which the Conservatives opposed. Then there are all of our social programs, such as the Canadian dental care plan and affordable child care, which they also opposed.”
“Madam Speaker, the Criminal Code must meet the public's expectations and evolve with the times. Bill C-16 proposes criminalizing the creation of deepfakes. When someone's face is manipulated to create deepfakes using tools such as AI and then disseminated, it can have a significant impact on the victim's life. Bill C-16 will criminalize that. It also criminalizes threatening to distribute non-consensual intimate images, because not only can distribution have an impact on victims' lives, so can the threat of doing so. I think these are important changes to the Criminal Code. I would like to hear my colleague's opinion. Does she also think that this is an important change to ensure that the Criminal Code meets the public's expectations and reflects today's reality?”
“Mr. Speaker, today's Conservative motion leaves a few things out. There is no mention of industrial carbon pricing or of methane regulations. These omissions reflect the fact that the opposition would rather play political games with the MOU than work with us to implement it. I also think it reflects the fact that the leader of the official opposition would not have been able to negotiate such an agreement. I have a simple question for my colleague, and I would ask her to answer yes or no. Does she support the MOU with Alberta in its entirety? I am not talking about today's motion, which has several omissions; I am talking about the MOU that was signed with Alberta. Does my colleague support it in its entirety, yes or no?”
“Mr. Speaker, I found my colleague's speech rather ironic. He talked about obstruction. I completely agree with him that we must avoid obstruction, but that is actually what the Conservatives are doing this afternoon in the House. We were supposed to have a debate on the budget implementation bill. This is a budget that meets Canadians' expectations with investments in public safety, border security, and infrastructure. Instead of debating this important bill, we are witnessing parliamentary obstruction by the official opposition. When I am in my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche, people ask me to advance their priorities, and those priorities are reflected in budget 2025. Why is my colleague trying to delay the adoption of the budget, which meets Canadians' expectations?”
“Mr. Speaker, I struggle to understand how my colleague across the floor sets his priorities. Personally, I go to my riding and ask people what they want us to do. They tell me they want us to strengthen security. We are doing that with Bill C-12 and various changes to the Criminal Code. They tell me they want us to make life more affordable. We have Bill C-4, which is currently being studied and which we would like to see passed shortly. People also talk to me about the much-needed investments in infrastructure. That is in the budget implementation bill. What people are not asking me to do, however, is to engage in filibustering, block the work of the House and prevent us from debating bills that address the priorities of Canadians. I would like to ask my colleague how he sets his priorities.”
“We created a strategic response fund offering billions of dollars to help businesses and workers, because our government understands that, in order to have a strong economy, we must support all sectors of the Canadian economy and all Canadian workers.”
“Mr. Chair, I would say that our government's guiding principle from day one has been perfectly clear: We were elected to strengthen the Canadian economy and make it more resilient. That means diversifying our markets. It means supporting key sectors of the Canadian economy. It means providing targeted support for the sectors hardest hit by U.S. tariffs. I would remind the House that we did not ask for this tariff conflict. These tariffs are completely unjustified and illegal. Nevertheless, they exist, and our government is determined to help the hardest-hit sectors, including the automotive sector.”
“I want to reiterate that in our negotiations for a renewed trade relationship with the United States, we do not want an agreement at any cost. We want an agreement that serves the interests of our businesses and our workers.”
“Mr. Chair, our government is determined to protect every worker in our country. We have already put measures in place to do just that. We hope to protect every job. In the unfortunate event that job losses do occur, we have recently made adjustments to the EI system. For example, we have extended the waiver of the one-week waiting period for EI until April 2026. We have invested in people who want to change careers. We are also here to protect businesses, to help them access liquidity so that there are no job losses. We want people to be able to keep their jobs. For example, there is the strategic response fund, which allows businesses to access liquidity in order to keep their operations going while we weather this turbulence.”
“We are here during this period of economic uncertainty to truly support the hardest-hit sectors, whether it be the automotive sector we are discussing tonight or the softwood lumber sector, which affects my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche in particular.”
“Mr. Chair, our government is working on developing new economic relationships with the United States, in addition to diversifying our economy through various partnerships around the world. On the issue of the United States, I believe that, yes, we need a new agreement with the U.S., but one that truly meets the needs of our industries and the interests of Canadians and workers. We must not sign an agreement at any cost. In the meantime, our government is there for all workers and affected businesses. As I mentioned in my speech, we have set up a $5-billion strategic response fund that will enable affected sectors to pivot, adapt and diversify.”
“Tonight, we are talking about another sector that is heavily affected by tariffs: the automotive sector. Our caucus is fortunate to have colleagues who are determined to fight for this sector. I am thinking in particular of the member for Guelph , who is a staunch defender of the automotive sector, just as I am for the softwood lumber sector. We understand that our government must be there for the sectors most affected by tariffs, so we must be there to protect our businesses and we must be there to protect our Canadian workers from coast to coast to coast.”
“The fund will aim to support industrial capacity by offsetting new market access costs, supporting their equipment, and facilitating Canadian companies' plans to expand or enter new markets. We have also increased investments in the regional tariff response initiative, bringing total funding to $1 billion over three years, including to support companies in the automotive sector. Canada has all the assets it needs to excel in the next generation of automotive manufacturing. Our priority continues to be defending Canadian interests, supporting workers and building a strong automotive sector for decades to come. Our government is there for the sectors most affected by the unjustified and illegitimate tariffs imposed by the U.S. administration. I know this first-hand because my riding is affected by softwood lumber tariffs.”
“Our government aims to ensure that the targets set in the regulations are both ambitious and achievable and that all automakers do not face excessive financial burdens, while continuing to decarbonize transportation. We are also investing in Canadian businesses to help them adapt to the recent economic challenges, including those related to the uncertain business environment, and to lay the groundwork for future growth. The government has just announced the creation of a new strategic response fund that will provide $5 billion to key sectors, giving priority to those that are heavily exposed to trade and affected by tariffs, particularly the auto industry.”
“We will continue to leverage our comparative advantage to strengthen the domestic automotive sector, which provides jobs today and for decades to come. That said, the transition is taking place amid significant short-term economic uncertainty and slower-than-expected growth in EV demand. That is why we are taking a measured approach by supporting the industry today, while remaining focused on a sustainable future. To that end, the government has announced that it will make targeted adjustments to the electric vehicle availability standard. We are removing the 20% sales target for electric models for the year 2026 and have undertaken a 60-day review of the entire regulation.”
“This includes investments in higher value-added segments, such as cell manufacturing supported by major battery manufacturers such as NextStar Energy and PowerCo, as well as key players in the intermediate sector, such as GM, Posco and Asahi Kasei, which produce components essential to battery manufacturing, including cathode active materials and separators. This is benefiting companies in the automotive and EV battery supply chain and will continue to do so. It is important to note that these investments build on Canada's strengths. We have a highly skilled workforce, award-winning auto plants, abundant critical minerals, clean and affordable energy, and a proven track record of innovation.”
“This sector employs more than 125,000 Canadians and supports hundreds of thousands more jobs across the country. Recognizing its importance to the Canadian economy, our government continues to invest in the automotive sector, particularly in order to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the global transition to electrification. Collaboration between the federal and provincial governments and the industry has attracted significant investment to transition to EV production and establish a comprehensive Canadian supply chain for EV batteries.”
“Mr. Chair, I would like to inform you that I will be sharing my time with the member for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin . The auto industry plays a vital role in the Canadian economy, contributing approximately $16.8 billion in economic activity in 2024, which accounted for nearly 8% of Canada's total manufacturing GDP. In my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche, there may not be a large auto sector presence, but I understand that this is a very important issue for the Canadian economy. As a member of our Liberal government, I am determined, along with all my colleagues, to work to strengthen the Canadian economy and to protect all our sectors and all workers across the country. That is why I wanted to rise in the House this evening during this debate.”
“I want to understand why they are voting against helping the businesses hardest hit by the tariff war and, at the same time, against helping Canadian workers.”
“Mr. Chair, I am a relatively new member of the House, and there is one thing that I have a hard time understanding. The Conservatives say one thing in the House, but when it comes time to vote, they always do the opposite. They talk about the cost of living every day in the House, but when it comes time to vote for measures to help with the cost of living, the Conservatives vote against them. This evening, they are telling us about the importance of the automotive sector and of supporting workers and the industry. However, the strategic response fund that we created, with over $5 billion available to support the sectors, businesses and workers hardest hit by the tariffs, was in budget 2025 and the Conservatives voted against it.”
“Known for his collaborative spirit, sense of ethics, and unifying sense of humour, Jean-Guy leaves a lasting impression. I thank him for his years of public service, and I hope he knows that he has left a lasting impression on Restigouche.”
“Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Jean‑Guy Levesque, who recently announced his retirement after a decade in municipal politics. A well-known figure in Restigouche, he has dedicated his life to public service, beginning in the school system as a teacher, school principal, and district superintendent. A tireless volunteer, he made a name for himself in several community and sports organizations. Recently, he headed the bid committee that secured the next Acadian World Congress in 2029 for the Baie-des-Chaleurs region. After serving as chair of the Val-d'Amour local service district, he was elected municipal councillor in Atholville in 2015 and then mayor. In 2023, he became the first mayor of the Campbellton Regional Community, following local government reform in New Brunswick.”
“Instead of criticizing, could he suggest constructive solutions on how we can support this sector, which is so important to New Brunswick?”
“Mr. Chair, the forestry industry is central to the economy of the province of New Brunswick, and the U.S. administration's unjustified tariffs are having a significant impact on the sector. I heard my colleague voice several criticisms about our approach, but I did not hear many concrete suggestions on how we can actually help this very important sector. On our side, we have implemented measures: $1.2 billion to access liquidity and a buy Canadian policy to stimulate domestic demand. We are working to reach a really good agreement with the United States. We do not want to sign just any agreement. We want a good agreement that will meet the needs of Canadians. These are several concrete measures that my colleague has opposed.”
“Mr. Chair, we launched our buy Canadian policy because we wanted to become our own best client. Through our investments in Build Canada Homes, our projects of national interest and our investments in infrastructure, we will focus on Canadian lumber. We want to build our country with our resources. Does my colleague agree that it is important for our government to strengthen domestic demand for lumber in order to reduce exposure to tariffs imposed by the United States? Does he view stimulating the domestic market for lumber as something positive?”
“Mr. Chair, I hold my colleague, the member for Nipissing—Timiskaming, in high regard. She is a strong voice here in Ottawa for rural communities. I would like to hear from her about the work she is doing in her riding to stay informed of the needs and realities of stakeholders in the northern Ontario lumber industry, so that she can represent them well here in Ottawa.”
“Mr. Chair, my colleague from British Columbia is a strong advocate for her province and really understands the needs of the softwood lumber industry. She is a strong advocate for the workers and the businesses of this sector. I would like to hear her views on how the different measures we have put in place to help the industry have been received and what we can do to better help the softwood industry facing tariffs right now.”
“Mr. Chair, the Forest Products Association of Canada welcomed the measures we have put in place to respond to the unjustified tariffs imposed by the U.S. administration. In particular, representatives mentioned that procurement reforms, funding for the tariff response, workforce supports and biofuel incentives are positive measures for the future of the forestry sector. However, the Leader of the Opposition criticized these support measures last week, which is rather surprising because, in my opinion, the Forest Products Association of Canada knows very well what the industry needs. Will my colleague encourage his leader to reconsider his comments and to instead support measures that will give businesses the liquidity they need to continue operating during this period of economic turmoil?”
“When I go back to my riding and I talk to stakeholders in the softwood lumber industry, I can look them in the eye and tell them that we are working on more measures, but that we have already put various measures in place to support the industry. My colleague voted against these measures, so would he be comfortable going back to the softwood lumber industry stakeholders and telling them that he voted against the measures to support them?”
“Mr. Chair, we recently put several measures in place to support the softwood lumber industry. I am thinking about the more than $1.2 billion in liquidity, in assistance programs and all the other measures we put in place to help businesses and workers affected by the tariffs. There is our buy Canadian policy, which will give priority to our softwood lumber in our infrastructure and homebuilding projects, especially for the investments we are making in Build Canada Homes, which will require significant use of Canadian lumber. All of these measures are set out in budget 2025. I am proud to say that I voted in favour of this budget.”
“Mr. Chair, in my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche, the forestry industry is a key driver of the economy. I have regular contact with people involved in the industry, including workers, business owners and intermediate players, such as forestry operators, who collect timber from the forest but without necessarily exporting products to the United States. These people are also affected by the tariffs. I would like my colleague to explain why the various support measures in place now or coming in the future are also important to these forestry sector intermediaries.”
“Madam Chair, I will repeat my question. Our government wants an agreement, but not just any agreement. We want an agreement that truly serves the interests of Canadians. The public is well aware that we are in a position of strength when we are united in our negotiations with the United States. During the last election campaign, however, the Bloc Québécois proposed that negotiations for Quebec be managed separately. The people of Quebec decided otherwise by electing 44 Liberal members from Quebec. Does my Bloc Québécois colleague recognize, as his province's electorate does, that it is better to be united in these turbulent economic times than to try to sow division in our negotiations?”
“Madam Chair, it really is important for me to take part in this debate this evening because the forestry industry is the main economic driver in my riding. We have put a number of measures in place to help this industry weather the economic turbulence. We may need other measures as well. I am thinking in particular of the intermediaries, those who are affected by the tariffs but do not export their products directly to the United States, which is what forestry operators have to do.”
“As the member for Madawaska—Restigouche, I am in constant contact with workers and businesses in my riding to listen to them, to hear their proposals, and to share their comments with my colleagues so that our government can then implement public policies that are truly tailored to the needs of the sector.”
“Madam Chair, my colleague is absolutely right. Our country was built thanks to our forests and our forestry workers. Through Build Canada Homes, the softwood lumber sector will be essential for building hundreds of thousands more homes. She referred to the closure of sawmills. It is never an easy situation for our families, our workers and our industries. That is why we must be there to support them. It starts with targeted measures in the budget to the tune of $1.2 billion. It also includes the strategic response fund that we set up to help the businesses and workers most affected by the current tariffs. It also involves other measures that we can put in place to support the softwood lumber sector.”
“As a Liberal member, I am proud to go home to my riding to talk about the work that our government is doing here in Ottawa to help businesses across the country, including those in Madawaska—Restigouche.”
“Madam Chair, as the member for Madawaska—Restigouche, I am in regular contact with business owners and forestry workers. People back home understand that the U.S. tariffs are completely unjustified and harmful. It was not our government that asked for them; it was the American administration that imposed them. However, our government is there to help the businesses and workers affected. Just look at the budget, which includes measures of more than $1.2 billion to provide access to liquidity. It is a budget that my opposition colleagues have opposed. If people seriously want to help the softwood lumber industry get through tough economic times, then they should vote for the budget that includes measures to help the industry.”