Kevin Lamoureux
Winnipeg North, Manitoba · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, when we take a look at this particular legislation, or any other piece of legislation or budgetary measures that the government has brought in since the last election, when Canadians elected a new Prime Minister and a new government, we will find that listening to Canadians is the top priority.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want the member to recognize the degree to which the Conservative Party always wants to talk down the economy. It brings me to yesterday, when we found out that the Prime Minister went to the G7 and that 13 new deals were signed off, with countries such as Japan, Italy, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal, fi…”
“Mr. Speaker, since the last election, just over a year ago, when Canadians voted for our current Prime Minister and a new government, we have been listening to the people of Canada. Members will see that listening in every aspect of our legislative agenda and our budgetary measures.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to pick up on my friend's comment that we live in the real world. The real world is looking pretty good in terms of where Canada has been since the last federal election. We have a Prime Minister who has been out and about, attracting literally billions of dollars in commitments of investment.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciated to a certain degree the member's comments when he made reference to the issue of the process. However, I would ask him to realize that, over the years, things have changed considerably. We saw time allocation used during Stephen Harper's government a record number of times.”
“Mr. Speaker, today I am tabling a petition from a number of individuals. Actually, over 1,000 people have signed the petition. The petitioners are looking for a sense, from both the provincial Government of Manitoba and Ottawa, of working together to try to come up with a solution to deal with Manitoba's unique situation related to our wo…”
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“Mr. Speaker, I truly appreciate the member's comments. I was quite pleased to hear that he is the first person of Congo heritage to be a member of Parliament. I applaud him on that and look forward to hearing him tell us a bit more from his perspective. I noticed the hon. member emphasized that the very first action the Prime Minister took was to give a tax break. Could he amplify why that was so important to him? He made reference to having some children.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is disappointing, to a certain degree, that the member opposite continues to want to deny reality. We had an election where a government was elected with more votes than in any other federal election, and we had a very clear mandate that talks about building a stronger, healthier Canada. It is a mandate to enhance trade opportunities, as an example, yet we see an opposition member who continues to want to do nothing to provide a constructive critique of the budget while commenting on what she believes would be a healthy alternative. Does she have any intention of voting for the throne speech? If not, can she indicate what, if anything, she believes is good within the throne speech?”
“Mr. Speaker, earlier today I mentioned the Prime Minister 's comments about the throne speech and how I believe that it ultimately sends a very positive message to Canadians, a message of hope. There are plenty of opportunities that we are exploring in terms of how we are going to be able to build a stronger, healthier nation. That means working with all the different entities in Canada: provincial governments, territorial governments and indigenous communities. Can the member provide her thoughts on how, as a nation, we can all benefit if there is a higher sense of co-operation with respect to all the different stakeholders? Is that not good for all people?”
“Mr. Speaker, I have an immense amount of respect for the member, in the sense that he brings to the table a great deal of head knowledge with respect to the province of Ontario. I believe he has an appreciation of the degree to which the federal government needs to work with provinces, territories and indigenous communities in order to further advance economic strength for one Canada, where all regions will benefit from it. I am wondering if he could expand on his thoughts with regard to the whole sense of co-operation and people working together in a team Canada approach and the economic benefits of doing so.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is really important to reflect on the speech that was made first thing this morning by the Prime Minister . Through the throne speech, there is good reason for people to have hope and understanding, and there is an appreciation for a throne speech very much focused on a stronger, healthier Canada for all regions of our country. We need to see support and maybe put political partisanships to the side, as we try to deal with Trump, the tariffs and the trade issue, for example, which is so critically important for the member opposite's constituents and mine. Would the member not agree with that?”
“Mr. Speaker, many of us look at my friend as a godfather of sorts in dealing with some really important issues. I know that one of them he holds very close to his chest is the importance of sound immigration policy. The mandate letter emphasizes the importance of getting the right balance with respect to immigration. I thought maybe he could provide a thought on the whole immigration file from his perspective.”
“I challenge the member to be as bold as to say, and to make the attempt to recognize, the important role that diversity plays in our society today.”
“Mr. Speaker, I disagree with many of the things the member opposite said. At the end of the day, as a Liberal member of Parliament, I believe that within the very heart of the Liberal caucus the member will find an appreciation of Canada's diversity, which is second to that in no other caucus. We understand the true value of what diversity can do for Canada, not only for today but for tomorrow. When the Prime Minister talks about looking for opportunities that go beyond the relationship between Canada and the United States, we can look at other countries, whether we are talking about India, Africa, the Philippines and so forth. Using that diversity, we can build a stronger and healthier country.”
“Mr. Speaker, as the member knows well, the Prime Minister was actually in the chamber earlier this morning. He highlighted the importance of the throne speech in setting the stage that all Canadians can buy into. It has a high sense of co-operation with provincial governments, territorial governments and indigenous communities, all in an attempt to send a very strong message of building one Canadian economy, estimated to potentially be somewhere in the neighbourhood of $200 billion, that could benefit from moving in that direction. The Prime Minister also highlighted the tax break; giving the tax break to Canadians was one of the very first initiatives he has taken as Prime Minister. Could the member provide her thoughts on those two very important issues?”
“That is one of the reasons why the Prime Minister of Canada indicated today that we can anticipate more issues and legislation dealing with things such as bail reform. Does the member not see that as a good thing? Can we anticipate the member's support?”
“Mr. Speaker, Brampton is a wonderful, beautiful community in Canada. Many of my constituents have relations and family in the community of Brampton. Having said that, the member spent a great deal of his efforts and time on the issue of crime. I am very sensitive to that issue, as I know that my colleagues, in particular my colleagues in the Brampton area, are very much concerned about crime. I am sure the member recognizes that when it comes to the issue of crime, there is jurisdictional responsibility. The provincial government, the federal government and the municipal government all have a very important role to play. In looking at dealing with crime in our communities, would the member not agree that the province needs to step up, that the city needs to step up and that the federal government also has to step up?”
“Mr. Speaker, I suspect that, going forward, there might be disagreements on a lot of things between that member and me. I, for one, feel very confident in believing that Canadians want a national health care system. They want a national child care system. They want a government that truly cares and can actually deliver. I have listened to the Alberta premier, and I think she might be further to the left than that particular member. When I listen to the member opposite, I am not too sure what side of the issue of separation he is on. Does the member opposite not believe that Canada, working together, can have a positive outcome for everyone in all regions of the country, and that the federal government does have a very important role in society?”
“I will quote from a mandate letter: “Spending less on government operations so that Canadians can invest more in the people and businesses that will build the strongest economy in the G7.” Does the member not believe that this is a goal worth achieving?”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the fact that the member is new, but I still find it somewhat shameful for him to try to imply that members of the Liberal caucus are not strong nationalists, do not feel very proud and do not have a great deal of pride in our country. In fact, I think Canadians spoke very loud and clear. When it comes to protecting the interests of our nation, they turned to the Liberal Party and the Prime Minister we have today because of the high level of comfort we were able to express in the policy positions that we were taking. Those are the results. Never before has a political entity received as many votes from Canadians as this Prime Minister and this party did in the last election.”
“Mr. Speaker, one of the very first initiatives that the Prime Minister took was to decrease the tax bracket, which is literally putting hundreds of millions of dollars into the pockets of Canadians as a direct result. I am wondering if my colleague could provide his thoughts on just how important that was to do. I think it really sets the stage of a new government, and a government that wants to be there to make sure that affordability is being addressed.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments made by the member. Having said that, there is a great deal of expectation amongst parliamentarians, given what we have witnessed with President Trump and the whole tariffs and trade issue. There is concern for industries throughout Canada, and the feeling is that we need to have parliamentarians not only working together to develop that one Canadian economy, as one solution, but also taking on other initiatives. To what degree would the member opposite agree that, at times, we need to put partisanship aside so we can work on the collective interests of Canadians? This was clearly demonstrated in the last election. They want us to protect our economic trade relationships so that Canada can ultimately get the best deal we can as a sovereign nation.”
“Mr. Speaker, in less than five minutes, I can guarantee. At the end of the day, I can say that my friend is quite correct. No other government in the history of Canada has signed off on more trade agreements than we have—”
“Mr. Speaker, in short, yes, the Prime Minister has talked about being an energy superpower. What the member did not say is that it would be clean and conventional energy, “clean” meaning it would be environmentally enhancing. That is a very important aspect that is included in the throne speech itself.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is best to take this from an overall industry perspective. I understand and appreciate concerns about steel, much like forestry. They are two industries that come up far too often in regard to what I would argue are unfair trade practices. We can talk about the forest barons down south and what their intentions are. We always prevail but at a great cost. At the end of the day, when we are talking about these renegotiated trade agreements, we need to see if we can somehow enhance protections that are not there right now. That is why I say we have opportunities. I do not like a lot of the things that President Trump has talked about, obviously, but there could be an opportunity created that would not only protect some of our industries, but ultimately see further growth.”
“Right now I believe it is a little out of balance as a direct result of maybe not enough coordination between post-secondary institutions, provincial governments and Ottawa. We are ultimately responsible. That is why I am glad that the Prime Minister has made this initiative an important one.”
“Mr. Speaker, I wish I had leave for enough time to talk about this issue. Suffice to say that in thinking of immigration, there are opportunities for us to look for ways to improve the system. A number of years ago, international students were students who came to Canada and would then leave. Realistically, now we have universities and provinces that have all sorts of recruitment drives that drive up the number of international students. I have always argued that we have to look for ways to make it possible for international students and international workers to have an opportunity to become residents of Canada. I think the immigration standing committee will have a wonderful opportunity to really make a difference. We have to make sure that we get balance in the system.”
“They want the partisanship to be put to the side and for us to focus on bringing down barriers so life can become a bit more affordable and we can all feel a bit better in regard to our future and hopefully achieving that goal of being the strongest of the G7 countries.”
“Mr. Speaker, the short answer is yes. Whether it is the forest industry in the province of Quebec, the province of B.C. or, to a much smaller degree, the province of Manitoba, these are industries that are important. I just finished talking about using Canadian lumber or pulp. There are many different aspects of industries throughout Canada that we need to recognize. The province of Quebec would be no more used as a pawn than the province of Manitoba or any other province would be. We are there. In Manitoba and Quebec, our aerospace industries are important. Supply management is important. In B.C. and Quebec, for the forestry industry, we are building support so that we can have an economy that works for all Canadians, and I think that is the expectation that Canadians have in every region.”
“Mr. Speaker, there is the removal of the GST for first-time homebuyers, and I would like to make reference to “Build Canada Homes”, from the throne speech. I am very inspired by that aspect of the throne speech, because we are talking about Canadian technology, Canadian workers and Canadian labour, and we will be providing affordable homes. All this stuff is going to begin to be rolled out. We will see more details of it in the coming weeks and months. Housing is a very important priority for the government. The Prime Minister has made that very clear, and as a caucus, we are all looking forward to delivering the many positive things within the throne speech that Canadians would benefit from.”
“Let us demonstrate that it is in Canadians' best interest. We are looking for that type of support. I have been asked at a local restaurant how long a minority government lasts. I say that it has a lot more to do with the opposition than it does with the government. The throne speech also talks about some things I am very passionate about: child care, pharmacare and dental care. It also talks about immigration. Immigration is my bread and butter. I love to talk about immigration. There are so many things within the throne speech. I would hope that every member of the House of Commons makes a strong statement by getting behind this throne speech and that all of us vote yes, because it is the right thing to do.”
“I love the seventh point: “Spending less on government operations so that Canadians can invest more in the people and businesses that will build the strongest economy in the G7.” Let there be no doubt that Canada, with its people and resources, is well positioned to have the healthiest and strongest economy in the G7, but it is going to take an effort that goes beyond even the Liberal Party. We need the support of opposition members, because while there is a very clear and very strong minority government mandate, it is important for us to recognize that opposition parties have a responsibility to look at ideas and thoughts and maybe even propose some ideas and thoughts. We have been known to adopt one or two of them. (1720) I think that we have demonstrated through the Prime Minister that no one owns a good idea. Let us bring it forward.”
“The more we can do that, the better it is for all of us. The other point I want to emphasize is “Protecting Canadian sovereignty and keeping Canadians safe by strengthening the Canadian Armed Forces, securing our borders, and reinforcing law enforcement.” Maybe it is because I had the opportunity to serve in the Canadian Forces, but I am glad to hear what this Prime Minister and this new government want to do: invest more in the Canadian Forces. I believe there is an obligation there. We have heard it from not only Donald Trump but many others, and Canada is not alone. There are other countries that also need to step up. However, for the first time in the last 30 years, we have a Prime Minister who is committed to doing just that, and that is something that I ultimately believe is in all of our best interests.”
“First and foremost is “Establishing a new economic and security relationship with the United States and strengthening our collaboration with reliable trading partners and allies around the world.” We will work with the United States in whatever way we can to enhance and ensure that we are protecting Canadian interests. The second is “Building one Canadian economy by removing barriers to interprovincial trade and identifying and expediting nation-building projects that will connect and transform our country.” Through the issue that we have witnessed since January in particular, there is an opportunity. That opportunity is real and tangible. It is one economy in Canada. Hopefully, we will see what Manitoba and Ontario just recently did. There are other provinces looking to do likewise.”
“It was very symbolic. There are a number of people who are not necessarily big monarchy fans, but they saw and understood why it was important to have the King of Canada come to Canada and present the throne speech. I thought it was a wonderful thing to see the King of Canada do that. The other thing is the content itself. The throne speech provides focus for the House of Commons. Let there be absolutely no doubt about the degree to which this government is focused on the issue of trade. In fact, we can look at the mandate letters that were sent out to our ministers. I had the opportunity to do that, as I am sure most members did. If I may, I just want to highlight some of the priorities.”
“We can protect them in different ways. If we collect a tariff and put the tariff on the industries that are in danger, we can provide an incentive for them to look for other exporting markets, as an example. All provinces have some form of industry that generates jobs and opportunities and improves the lifestyles of the citizens living in that province. (1715) However, someone needs to lead that, and I believe our Prime Minister , with the background he brings to the table, is second to no other. He has demonstrated his willingness to work with all the different stakeholders, in particular our provinces, territories and indigenous communities. That will make a difference. I love that we had the King of Canada present the throne speech, because for me it does two things. One is that it shows that Canada is a sovereign nation.”
“They are processing millions of pigs every year for export markets around the world, in particular Asia and the United States. If we were to visit the plant in Brandon, we would find a gigantic parking lot for all the people who work there. Those workers buy cars, have homes, buy furniture and go to the Tim Hortons. The direct jobs in Manitoba alone, in the factories, are estimated to be just over 10,000. That is not to mention the indirect jobs that are created. That is why tariffs matter. Manitobans understand that. If we were to put a tariff on our product going into the United States, it would mean that it would be more expensive and could cut back on the number of sales. That is why the Prime Minister said we will focus on protecting our industries. I suggest that there are a number of industries that need to be protected.”
“He has gone out of his way to ensure, in many ways, that Canadian interests are being put ahead of local interests yet protecting local interests, too. I like to see myself as Canadian first. I love Winnipeg, and I then go to the province. Those are my personal priorities, but I can say that I will fight to protect the aerospace industry in the province of Manitoba, an aerospace industry that I know is just as important in the province of Quebec. Many provinces have issues in common that we want to ensure get to those export markets. What does trade really mean? I always like to talk about Manitoba's pork industry, because it is a great example. In Manitoba, we can go to Brandon, Neepawa or the city of Winnipeg, and we will find factories that employ thousands of Manitobans.”
“We might not necessarily be able to get unanimous support on all issues, but we at least need to try, because the dividends are very real. Fortunately for Canadians, we have provinces, territories and indigenous communities that recognize how important it is to have one economy working in Canada. We see the value in that. It has been estimated that, if we were to be successful and all provinces got on board, and it looks as though they will, in wanting to develop that economy, we would be talking somewhere in the neighbourhood of $200 billion. That is an incredible amount of money to be found from within. I would argue that it is worth the fight. At the end of the day, we should be working with provinces. I am very impressed by my province's premier, Wab Kinew.”
“The bottom line is that we have an incredible group of individuals who will work with the United States, and we will get the best deal we can for Canadians. (1710) I referred earlier to some very difficult issues that come up when sitting at the trade table, such as supply management. The province of Quebec, the province of Manitoba and other provinces have a vested interest in supply management. I bring that up because the Prime Minister is not ignoring the provinces, territories or indigenous communities. The Prime Minister has been in consultation and working with provinces and other stakeholders since he won the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada earlier this year. We understand the true value of working with provinces.”
“The United States will always be our primary trading partner; it is just south of us, so obviously that is going to be the case. Hundreds of millions of dollars cross the border both ways every day. There is no denying the importance of the United States and getting a trade agreement where both sides can come to an agreement. However, let us be very clear with the current administration, as our Prime Minister has been. Canada is not for sale. Canada is a unique nation in modern times that has so much to offer the world in many different ways. We see that every day by the correspondence and the world events we witness. Canadian values are in high demand throughout the world. We are very different. I could talk about our health care system. I could talk about how we value diversity, as opposed to what takes place in the United States.”
“In December, I was in the Philippines, where we talked about the importance of trade between Canada and the Philippines. At the time, Mary Ng, who was the minister, indicated, working with the Philippine government, that we were interested in having some sort of formal discussions in regard to establishing some form of a trade agreement. I bring that up because, as a government, we do have a responsibility to look beyond the United States' borders and look at how we can enhance international trade. Canada is unique in the world. We have more trade agreements than any other country on earth, with all continents. We have a golden opportunity when we look at the makeup of our country. We should be embracing our diversity and using that diversity to further advance the economic interests of Canada worldwide.”
“We need to give the Prime Minister and cabinet the opportunity to make the changes necessary in order to deal with the crisis we find ourselves in. The budget will come in time. In the interim, we look for a sense of co-operation on the number one issue that was being brought up at doors. Members on all sides of the House recognize, I am sure, because we all knocked on doors, that people were genuinely concerned about U.S. tariffs, trade and the place that Canada was in. At the end of the day, there are initiatives that we can take that will in fact make a difference. When the Prime Minister met with me and some members of Canada's Filipino heritage community, we talked a bit about trade. We talked about, in particular, the Philippines.”
“Mr. Speaker, I believe that we have the right person leading at the right time, the Prime Minister we elected on April 28. When we look at the throne speech, we will see a reflection of what Canadians want to see in government. I think of the presentation of the throne speech, and I reflect on what I heard at doors. Canadians are genuinely concerned. There is even a bit of a fear factor, and it does stem from President Trump and his comments. Trump, tariffs and trade are the three Ts, as I often refer to them. We want to build a Canadian economy that is the strongest in the G7. I believe that we have the leadership that is going to make that happen. I believe that when we read through the throne speech, we will see we need to be patient and wait for the budget. We can look at how long it took Stephen Harper to present his budget.”
“I am not one to criticize career politicians, as I am somewhat one myself, but Canadians did look, and I believe they made the right decision. What we see in today's throne speech is a true reflection of what Canadians have been telling us for a long time now, over the last number of weeks. We have heard it very clearly. Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Hon. Kevin Lamoureux: Mr. Speaker, my friends across the way want to talk about the carbon tax. Yes, the Prime Minister got rid of the carbon tax. Much like when Erin O'Toole—”
“At the end of the day, I believe Canadians got to know the Prime Minister, as I also got a better sense of the Prime Minister during the election, and they did a comparison. They looked at Pierre Poilievre and they looked at other leadership candidates, and what they saw in the Prime Minister was an individual they could actually trust and have confidence in to ensure that Canadian interests would be served first and foremost. Whether it was Stephen Harper when he appointed the Prime Minister as the Governor of the Bank of Canada, or whether it was in England, where he was appointed to the Bank of England during a very difficult time, Canadians understood that we needed a leader who genuinely understood how to make an economy better, healthier and able to grow. Contrast that to the career politician.”
“His response to my question was that it is only writing. Writing does matter. The throne speech does matter, even though I understand that the Bloc was not interested in participating in a very significant way when the throne speech came out. I find it unfortunate. However, for the people of Quebec and the people of all of Canada, there is a great deal within the throne speech that talks about building a stronger, healthier Canada. That is what it is about. My colleagues and I, for weeks, knocked on doors. Some of my colleagues have been knocking on doors for the last year or a year and a half, getting a true understanding of what the Canadian expectations are. Prior to the election being called, I did not know the Prime Minister . I think I met him maybe five times, at most, prior to the last election.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise and address the first throne speech of a new government here in Canada. I think Canadians spoke, and they spoke well, in identifying the leader best suited to deal with the situation Canada is in today. Before I get started, I want to provide a comment on the leader of the Bloc 's thoughts. In his speech, he made reference to the fact that the throne speech did not incorporate the interests of Quebec. I found that unfortunate. I asked him a question specifically on it, and I just used two items. One was on supply management, because I know supply management means a great deal to the province of Quebec, as it does to my home province of Manitoba. Equally, CBC/Radio-Canada is an important institution. This is a government that, through the throne speech, reinforces those two policy issues.”
“Mr. Speaker, I do believe that the leader of the Bloc party was factually incorrect. He makes statements regarding the problems of Quebec and Quebec's interests not being reflected inside the throne speech, when in fact issues like supply management are in the throne speech. Issues like Radio-Canada and CBC are inside the throne speech. I am wondering if he would want to retract that particular comment.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to pick up on the member's comments in regard to one Canada. It is estimated that we could save somewhere in the neighbourhood of $200 billion if in fact we were successful at continuing to work with indigenous leaders, but in particular our provinces and territories, to look at ways in which we can take down those internal barriers. We have actually made the commitment that by July 1 those federal barriers are going to be taken down. I am wondering if the member can just amplify or provide her perspective on the importance of promoting and encouraging that one Canadian economy.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the many comments by my colleague, who has been a true advocate for northern Canada and, in fact, all regions of the country in many different ways. The question I have for him is very similar to what I asked the leader of the official opposition . Canadians were very clear. There is a very strong minority mandate, and that requires the government to work with the opposition, where it can, to try to build a consensus, which is so critically important, especially at a time when Canadians are genuinely concerned about issues such as the tariffs, trade and so forth. I wonder if the member could give insights, from his perspective, into how he would like to see the House move forward with that sense of co-operation.”
“Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the leader of the official opposition . That was a little shorter than what we are used to hearing from the Leader of the Opposition, and I appreciate that. I do have a question that is related to how important it is coming out of the election, where we saw a very clear mandate, as Canadians throughout the country want to see parties working together, in the best interests of Canadians, to deal with the Donald Trump tariffs, trade and so forth. We will all recall Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives, for years, going around the country saying that Canada is, in fact, broken. Would the member opposite not agree that the consensus in Canada today is that we all need to work together in order to pass the necessary legislation, to show unity and to be together in representing the interests of Canadians?”
“Mr. Speaker, I missed my Conservative friends too, especially Pierre Poilievre. Having said that, Canadians elected a new government here in Canada. It is a government that understands the benefits of building a strong economy and a strong nation for all Canadians. We have seen that clearly demonstrated in the throne speech delivered by the King of Canada earlier today. Would my friend and colleague from Alberta not agree that one of the most impressive initiatives the Prime Minister took on day one was to give Canadians a tax break? Hundreds of millions of dollars will go into the pockets of Canadians in every region of our country.”