Bernard Généreux
Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, Quebec · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, last week, along with my colleagues, I had the privilege of meeting with some of the largest companies in my riding. They all told me the same thing: they are feeling the impact of the U.S. tariffs, economic uncertainty, the current recession and labour shortages.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada is the only G7 country in a recession. Yesterday, my colleague on the other side responded by trying to convince us that their approach is working.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada is the only G7 country in a recession. The Liberal recession is not just a graph. It is parents standing silently in front of an empty fridge when the children ask what is for dinner. It is watching children go to school on an empty stomach when our food banks can no longer provide.”
“The Quebec public is sovereign when it comes to its cultural choices. Furthermore, by imposing a 15% tax, Canada is totally shooting itself in the foot. Our country is becoming one of the most expensive and least competitive countries in the world for investment. What message are we sending to investors?”
“Web giants will not absorb the cost; our own consumers will have to shell out. Once again, the middle class will get hit. I am talking about families in Saint-Pacôme, La Pocatière and the 73 other municipalities in my riding whose bills will go up yet again. Who else will get hit?”
“If Canada becomes hostile and unpredictable, these companies will simply go film their series and produce their projects somewhere else. Quebec cultural workers will lose good-paying jobs. The way to protect the francophone minority is not by putting our own people out of work.”
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“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his kind words. My colleague said 35%, but it is actually up to 45%. That last 10% the U.S. President tacked on was really a death knell for every softwood lumber industry in my riding. It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Let us remember how the Prime Minister danced when he said “elbows up”. I honestly cannot wait to see if he will be dancing elbows-up at his Christmas party.”
“Madam Speaker, my Bloc Québécois colleague is right about seniors. There is nothing in this budget for them. It is extremely disappointing. She is absolutely right. As for the softwood lumber issue, people do not want government assistance or a handout. They want to make a decent living from their jobs. Business owners want to make a profit from their sales. The problem is that they can no longer sell to the United States, and they are losing their market in Europe. Why? It is because the government has failed to get a deal, and tariffs have actually tripled in six months. That is how our regions are becoming poorer because of this government.”
“Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I cannot swear in the House of Commons. I can assure everyone that it is not for lack of desire. If I could, he would be getting an earful. The reality is that the Liberals have been in power for 10 years. They have been running deficits for 10 years. They are bringing up Harper again. Harper was prime minister in 2008, during the worst global crisis since the 1930s. The Liberals have been in government for 10 years. They have tons of money to spend. The government is literally throwing money out the window. Meanwhile, people in our ridings are struggling to put food on the table. That is the reality.”
“I still have five pages of my speech left to read. I should not just get cut off like this. How unfair. I should have read faster, because there are some very important things I would have liked to say, but I understand that I have run out of time. I can talk about them when I answer questions. I will listen very carefully to my colleagues' questions.”
“The same thing is currently happening in British Columbia, where my colleagues are experiencing this. When this happens, it is not just a case of one mill closing and 30 or 40 employees losing their jobs. Sooner or later, the entire community collapses. In Rivière-du-Loup, for example, 175 very good, well-paid jobs were directly affected by the closure of the White Birch paper mill, but 1,800 indirect jobs were affected up and down the supply chain. Is anyone going to say, “Who cares?” to workers in Saint-Pamphile, Sainte-Perpétue, Saint-Just-de-Bretennères, Lots-Renversés, Dégelis and Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac? Those are all municipalities that are directly connected to these mills. They usually import wood from Europe, which is cheaper than buying wood from Canadian mills, to sell to the United States.”
“What did the Prime Minister say? He said that a deal would be made shortly and that workers could hold on to hope. Now, when he is asked about the need to resolve this issue with President Trump, he publicly responds, “Who cares?” (1650) [ English ] Who cares? We care. Not only do we care, but we want an assurance that the negotiations with the U.S. will restart. The Prime Minister said there is no “burning issue”. [ Translation ] There is no learning issue. I am sorry, I meant to say burning issue. There certainly are still burning issues, more than a few of them. It would not be good to have learning issues. We are laughing, but it is not funny. I am going to talk about what happens when a mill closes in a riding like mine and in villages like the ones in my riding.”
“I refuse to accept that a country as rich as Canada can just go ahead and rack up debt with no respect for future generations. Our constituents work too hard to give their children and grandchildren a future mired in debt because the government is incapable of managing its priorities. Speaking of lacking vision, there is no better example than the way key sectors are being treated. I am going to talk specifically about one sector that is of crucial importance to my riding: softwood lumber. The Lower St. Lawrence, the south shore and Chaudière-Appalaches are home to sawmills, processors, transporters and thousands of families that directly or indirectly depend on this sector. Companies like Groupe Lebel, Maibec, Bardobec and Matériaux Blanchet are all feeling the pressure of U.S. tariffs, which are stifling our industry.”
“We are capable of making sure we do things right so we do not saddle our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with debt. They are the ones who will end up with the bill. The truth is that the government lacks discipline, and that lack of discipline comes at a cost, a cost the government will not have to pay. The ones on the hook for it are our grandchildren and the grandchildren of all Canadians. By running deficit after deficit without ever coming up with a serious plan to stabilize and balance the budget, the government is just passing the bill on to future generations. I refuse to accept that. I have grandchildren, and I hope to have great-grandchildren someday. Honestly, when I think about the country they are going to inherit, my heart sinks.”
“I also have to talk about the really big elephant in the room, which is the deficit. The Liberals have been in power for 11 years now, and that means 11 budgets. Year after year, we see the same thing. Spending goes up, the deficit never goes away and there is no credible path back to a balanced budget. Every time we ask the government questions, it repeats the same things, like a broken record. It says that there is no reason to panic, that Canada has the lowest debt in the G7, that it has fiscal room and that there is no problem. Honestly, do we really need to go back to being among the worst? Why do we have to be at the back of the pack in the G7? Why are we heading in that direction instead of trying to be the best? Canada is not mediocre.”
“This amounts to a 112% increase in family food budgets since 2015. Today, 85% of Canadians say that the price of food is their top concern, and rightly so. A record 2.2 million people visited food banks in just one month. That is unprecedented. For a lot of people, it has become a question of survival. (1645) Meanwhile, the Liberal budget contains no serious measure to reduce the cost of groceries and no strategy to curb food inflation. Worse still are the taxes, like the gas tax, the clean fuel tax and the carbon tax, which inevitably impact the price of fertilizer and equipment. Farmers inevitably pass on all of these costs to consumers in the price of the products they supply to distributors. It is inevitable. People are tired of feeling like the government has no idea what they are going through.”
“He was all proud to say that he was going to bring down grocery prices. His Minister of Finance , who used to be the industry minister, said that he was going to reach an agreement with the grocers. We can forget about that; it did not happen. That is just another broken promise. Everything has gone up since the Prime Minister took office. The price of strawberries is up 51%. Beef and chicken have increased by 30% and 23%. Even ground beef is up 14% just since April of this year, which was the month the Prime Minister was elected. Canada's Food Price Report 2026 tells us that 2026 will be even worse. I just saw an article in La Presse about that. The average Canadian family of four will be paying $1,000 more for groceries in 2026. If we divide that by 12, it starts adding up every month. That means an extra $1,000 for the same food.”
“When a government does not understand the reality of Canadians, that immediately affects the daily lives of families, and it starts with something as essential as groceries. We see it in all the grocery stores in Montmagny, Saint-Pamphile, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, La Pocatière and Rivière-du-Loup. Groceries are becoming unaffordable. It is not because families are wasting money or buying luxury items. It is simply because the cost of living and the cost of food have literally exploded under this government. Let us also remember that the Prime Minister himself asked to be judged based on people's experience at the grocery store. Seven months later, families are judging him, and it can be said that things are not going well for him at all. In any case, just remember how he presented that to us by saying “elbows up”.”
“Drinking water, waste water, recreation and housing are all urgent matters. However, as the reeve of the Rivière-du-Loup RCM said, it takes time for these initiatives to reach our communities. The intentions are good, but when is it going to happen? The problem with this government, after all its investments and deficits over the past 10 years, is that we are still waiting to see any results. The promise of two billion trees has simply disappeared. The housing investments that were promised five or six years ago are completely gone as well. People back home are not asking for the moon. They want a government that respects the regions, that understands that Montreal and rural regions do not share the same reality, and that action must be taken accordingly.”
“The riding of Côte‑du‑Sud—Rivière‑du‑Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata has more than 116,000 people living in 75 rural, urban, industrial and agricultural municipalities. They are entrepreneurs, forestry producers, sawmill employees, labourers, public service employees. They are families who want to live with dignity. These days, people often tell me that they can no longer make ends meet. That is the message we are receiving regularly at our offices right now. People are sending me texts and emails, not because they refuse to work or they are not working, nor because they want a handout. That is not what they are asking for. They want to be able to breathe a bit. This budget does not give anyone any breathing room. Municipal officials in my region have been clear: We must respond to needs now.”
“Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak honestly about the budget tabled by the Liberal government. It is a budget that lets down families, workers, businesses and, above all, strategic economic sectors such as softwood lumber. The Prime Minister 's recent budget talks about a generational investment plan. It is more like generational debt. It is 404 pages of promises. In our communities, it rings hollow. Business owners back home have been clear: It is one step forward and two steps back. People are fed up and disgusted. That is what I am hearing in my riding. Back home, people are saying that this budget is completely disconnected from their reality. I come from a part of the country where people work very hard.”
“We are also lucky to have Shane, our amazing intern, who always gives 110%, and last but not least, Lauriane, whose cheerfulness and efficiency help me to do an even more professional job here in Ottawa. I am spoiled to have such wonderful support. I wish to thank the members of my team for their passion and their dedication to the people of Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish my whole team and everyone across my riding a very happy holiday season.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank some people who mean a great deal to me. We know that our role as members of Parliament would not be the same without our teams, and mine is no exception. Annie Francoeur, who has worked with me for more than 12 years, is not just my right hand; she is both my hands. She is continuing to rest after our accident in October. We miss her very much and we wish her a speedy recovery. There is also Denise, who gives a warm welcome to residents in my riding when they visit my constituency office in Rivière-du-Loup. Annie Boutin in Montmagny is equally appreciated for the outstanding job she does. An skilfully manages our communications.”
“Mr. Speaker, people in our regions are fed up with seeing one set of rules for ordinary people and another set of rules for the Prime Minister 's buddies. While families are cutting back on groceries and 2.2 million people are visiting food banks, the Liberal government found a way to help Brookfield, the Prime Minister's former company. This giant company hid profits in tax havens and dodged $6.5 billion in taxes. These taxes could have supported our workers and our communities. While unemployment is rising to 6.9%, the Liberals are signing a $500-million contract to create jobs in Europe, at a campus where Brookfield owns half the assets. Back home, we call that a free ride for their pals. A government exists to serve the people, not its buddies. In my riding, in the Lower St.”
“Mr. Speaker, December is shaping up to be the toughest month in decades. Back home, the director of Moisson Kamouraska told me that demand is literally exploding. Across Quebec, we are talking about 3.1 million requests in 2025. That is 37% more than in 2022. The demand for Christmas hampers is going to be off the charts. With the price of food going up, eating is becoming almost a luxury. The Liberals are keeping their fuel tax in place, driving up the cost of food even more. Why does the Prime Minister refuse to help families struggling to put food on the table?”
“It is the government's responsibility to ensure that these tariffs are lifted so that we can have a viable industry in our regions.”
“Mr. Chair, forestry is critically important in my riding. It is not complicated. We are right next to the United States, to the American border. I will give a very simple example. One of the largest manufacturers, Groupe Lebel, sources lumber from the United States, transports it to Saint‑Pamphile for processing and resells it to the United States. That means it is American lumber, not Canadian lumber. That lumber is now subject to a 45% tariff. The company buys the lumber, and it has to pay a 45% tariff when it sells it back to the United States. Does anyone think that is viable? As my colleague from the Bloc Québécois pointed out, these 45% tariffs are unsustainable. What industry could survive financially while paying these kinds of tariffs?”
“Mr. Chair, we listen to the industry just as much as the Bloc Québécois does. The Bloc Québécois do not know everything. We listen to industry as well. We proposed several measures to the government that it could have included in its budget to allow housing construction, such as cutting red tape. The idea is not to create new agencies for building houses. Public servants are already looking after that in Canada. The Liberals insist of adding more and more bureaucracy and red tape. Someone said earlier that it was awful. That was announced in August, yet we have not even seen the programs or the money. Why? It is because of bureaucracy. It might take another year before we see any of the money. Implementing programs is all well and good, but people do not want programs. They want a market.”
“Mr. Chair, the answer is quite simple. We do not want more bureaucracy. What we want is to be able to build homes. Currently, the number of houses being built in Canada is at its lowest level since the 1970s. What has the Liberal government built? It has not built any houses during all these years. Instead, it has built bureaucracy. That makes no sense. All these bureaucrats are not the ones building houses. Obviously we need wood, and we have wood in Canada. We also have a market right next door in the United States. We are partners with those people. In 2006, Mr. Harper resolved this issue in just 80 days. Ten years later, it still has not been resolved. That is why I voted against the budget.”
“One thing is certain: We cannot leave these jobs, these people and these families in limbo, as is currently the case. It makes no sense. The Liberal government has had 10 years to solve this problem, yet it still has not been able to do it. I hope the Liberals will finally give us some answers tonight so that we can solve this problem, which has been going on for far too long.”
“We are talking about $10 billion that has been tied up for 10 years. Who has been in power for 10 years? The Liberals. Meanwhile, what are we hearing in Ottawa? The Prime Minister is saying that there is no pressing need to discuss tariffs with Washington, that there are no burning issues to discuss. Where does this Prime Minister live? Certainly not here. The money being held in U.S. coffers belongs to workers and should be reinvested in plant, equipment and wages in Canada. This is urgent. There are 13,000 jobs at stake. They say they care. When 500 businesses are at risk of going under, it is urgent. If they care so much, they need to provide support. I am glad I made this speech. I am wondering if I still have some time left, because I have a lot more to say.”
“is imposing a 45% tariff on Canadian softwood lumber, while European lumber is entering the U.S. with a 10% tariff. I have a simple question: How is it that European lumber pays a 10% tariff, but Canadian lumber pays 45%? We are neighbours with the Americans. We are partners. However, we are the ones being penalized the most. During the debate tonight, I heard some of my colleagues talk about how far away Europe is from us. In Saint‑Pamphile and Saint‑Just‑de‑Bretenières, it would take us less than seven or eight hours to drive to the United States to sell our lumber there. Now, the U.S. is bringing in just as much lumber from Europe, with tariffs at 10%. Canada is completely losing its markets. The industry is now rightly demanding the release of the $10 billion in countervailing and anti-dumping duties that the United States is holding.”
“I want to emphasize that I am talking about hauling companies, next-generation loggers with state-of-the-art machinery that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy and operate, businesses that sharpen the plants' blades, mechanics who maintain the plants' machinery, as well as electricians and electrical mechanics. They are all key jobs in this sector of activity that are essential to the forestry industry and form part of this major industrial and manufacturing chain. Forestry provides close to 13,700 direct jobs in our plants, in addition to thousands of indirect jobs in trucking, maintenance, retail and services. In 2021 alone, it generated $1.3 billion in work income in my region. Now, all of that wealth is threatened by the U.S. tariffs. For years, the industry has faced duties on Canadian softwood lumber. Currently, the U.S.”
“For example, Groupe Lebel has a major presence in a number of RCMs, five of which are in my riding. Maibec is a key player in wood processing. Matériaux Blanchet is heavily involved in innovation. Bégin & Bégin, Groupement forestier de Témiscouata and Groupe NBG are family businesses that support hundreds of families and are among the largest wood processing companies in Quebec. In my riding, their plants are economic institutions. They not only support residents, they support businesses and rural communities too. Every year, we harvest 4.2 million cubic metres of timber, or nearly 15% of all the timber in Quebec. This supports more than 590 businesses in all sectors combined.”
“Mr. Chair, I want to mention that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from North Island—Powell River . Today, I am going to talk about my region, the Lower St. Lawrence and Chaudière‑Appalaches. It is a corner of the country filled with hard-working people, small businesses, rural roads and community pride. In short, people there just want to work and earn a decent living. The Lower St. Lawrence and Chaudière‑Appalaches are home to about 600,000 people spread out across several hundred municipalities, including 75 in my riding alone. It is a land where every job counts, a land filled with hard-working Canadians and tight-knit communities. These regions are also supported by major employers from the forestry sector that are the lifeblood of entire municipalities.”
“Madam Chair, like my colleague, I represent a region, Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata, that is obviously very heavily forested. It borders the United States. In my region, as in his, jobs are extremely important in communities, especially smaller ones. He referred to some of the communities in his region. It is not just forestry jobs that are affected by the current U.S. tariffs. The entire community and municipal sector is affected by these events. The solutions proposed by the industry are very good, but they inevitably carry risks. I would like my colleague to explain what those risks are. Is it still worth it for the government to take those risks in order to give back to businesses what they have given so far, which is $10 billion over 10 years?”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague is trying to defend the indefensible, but the facts speak for themselves. Fitch Ratings, which assesses our credit rating, issued a warning, in black and white, that the country's finances run a high risk of further deterioration because of this government's reckless spending. Rather than spewing more rhetoric, can my colleague explain why this government is completely ignoring the warnings of experts and stubbornly insisting on running Canada's economy into the ground?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister acts as though the public purse is his own personal credit card. The result is that Canadians are falling further into debt and paying more for everything. To make matters worse, the Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that the Prime Minister has scrapped the plan to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio, a crucial commitment if we want to ensure that Canada does not end up having to borrow at a very high price. How many more warnings will it take before this Prime Minister finally stops spending money like it grows on trees?”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for this wonderful bill, which I believe everyone in this chamber should support. There is an organization in my riding called Chain of Life. Its president and founder, Lucie Dumont, created it to promote organ donation. My colleague mentioned education. Chain of Life aims to educate young people, aged 15 to 17, in English classes and takes that opportunity to talk about this issue. This bill promotes recognition by awarding medals, but it would also help inform the public about organ donation. I myself have signed my organ donor card, using my Quebec driver's licence. There are 800 people waiting for organ donations in Quebec. I think this is an extraordinary initiative by my colleague.”
“Mr. Speaker, although our ridings border each other, it is extremely rare that I agree with my colleague. Today, I am unfortunately forced to agree with him. In addition to running a deficit of nearly $80 billion, this budget contains nothing for our regions, absolutely nothing. The government says that this budget includes investments in major infrastructure, but sadly, there is very little for Quebec's regions, particularly the Lower St. Lawrence. In response to a question last week, the Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions told me that Alstom would benefit. Fine, but where is the money? I have not seen anything yet, and Alstom has not received any federal contracts to my knowledge. I agree with my colleague and I would like to hear his comments on this.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister 's deficit budget passes the bill on to current and future taxpayers. Meanwhile, Canadians are being forced to put almost 50% more of their expenses on their credit cards. The Fitch credit rating agency has warned that federal finances run a high risk of further deterioration. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says that borrowing costs are going to rise. How many more reports from financial watchdogs will it take for the Prime Minister to stop this irresponsible spending?”
“Mr. Speaker, clearly this parliamentary secretary is out of touch with the reality on the ground, especially in the regions. According to a Nanos poll, one in five Canadians skipped paying a bill just to be able to put food on the table. Frankly, that is unacceptable. Can the Prime Minister explain to my voters and to Liberal voters why he is insisting on keeping the industrial carbon tax while families have to choose between heating their home and filling their fridge?”
“Mr. Speaker, this is the most expensive government in Canadian history. Every dollar the Prime Minister spends comes directly out of the pockets of Canadians. The more he spends, the more it costs. In my riding's agricultural regions, farmers' costs are skyrocketing because of the industrial carbon tax. Fertilizer, farm equipment and transportation: The cost of everything is going up. It is costing more to farm, and that is driving up grocery prices. While this Prime Minister is spending money hand over fist, families are struggling to put food on the table. Why is this government refusing to admit that its industrial carbon tax is a tax on food that we all have to pay for?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals had the opportunity to lighten the load on Canadians, but since this Prime Minister came to power, prices have skyrocketed. Strawberries cost 25% more, beef costs 25% more and coffee costs 20% more. It is unbelievable. The industrial carbon tax is widening the price gap with the United States and will keep food inflation high. These are not my words, but the words of Professor Sylvain Charlebois. He even said that inflation would continue unabated for years to come. Once again, why is the government increasing this tax and making food even more expensive for our families?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have tabled the most costly budget with the biggest deficit in Canadian history, outside of the pandemic. The cost of their budget will drive up the cost of food, housing and everything Canadians need. Our families are paying the price at the grocery store for the industrial carbon tax, which the government has increased. A few weeks ago, I asked the government a question about a woman in La Pocatière, in my riding, who was forced to choose between food and housing. We did not get an answer. Why is the Prime Minister increasing the industrial carbon tax, which is making food more expensive for my constituent and for all Canadians?”
“Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to negotiate a favourable agreement with the United States on softwood lumber. Unfortunately, he failed to do so. When he took office, U.S. tariffs were at 14%. Now they are at 45%. Under this Prime Minister, tariffs have tripled, and our workers are the ones paying the price. In communities like Saint‑Pamphile, Daaquam, Lots‑Renversés and Saint‑Juste‑du‑Lac, entire families make a living from the lumber and forestry industries. When will this Prime Minister stop betraying our industries, our workers, our regions and their families?”
“Mr. Speaker, rent in Quebec has jumped by almost 10%, which is double the national average over the past year. After 10 years of Liberal deficits, everything costs more; I have seen it with my own eyes and I am seeing it on the ground. Last week, at a gas station in La Pocatière, one of my constituents asked me why the Liberals are spending billions on things that do nothing to help her family, when she can no longer even pay her rent without having to cut back on groceries. Imagine that. It makes no sense. What will the Prime Minister do to finally stop throwing money out the window and give Quebeckers some breathing room?”
“Mr. Speaker, last week in Montmagny, Rivière‑du‑Loup and Témiscouata‑sur‑le‑Lac, I met families who are struggling to make ends meet. This should not be the case in a country like ours. However, Quebec is seeing inflation rise to 3.3% because of this inflationary Liberal government. As a result, gas prices are out of control, rents have gone up 10% in the past year, and the cost of groceries has skyrocketed. Prices are soaring everywhere, and families are unable to pay their bills. Will the Liberals finally get their inflationary deficit under control and make life more affordable for Canadians and Quebeckers?”
“Mr. Speaker, they can applaud themselves all they want, but the reality is that we are shedding jobs in Canada, in our regions. The reality is that factories are closing and small and medium-sized businesses are struggling. Not everyone is making ends meet. What is the Prime Minister doing? He is investing $1 trillion in the United States instead of helping workers here in Canada. Why is the Prime Minister creating jobs in the United States instead of creating jobs in Canada?”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada still has the slowest economic growth of the G7 and the second-highest unemployment rate. Worse still, things are not getting any better today. The unemployment rate remains stuck at 7% and, despite all the Liberal promises, only 22,000 net new jobs were created since January. The cherry on top is that the Prime Minister wants to send $1 trillion to the United States. Why is the Prime Minister sacrificing our workers to help the Americans?”
“Mr. Speaker, since this Liberal Prime Minister took office, federal spending has skyrocketed. Spending on consultant contracts went from $19 billion to $26 billion. Since Mr. Trudeau left, and despite this Liberal government's promises, the deficit has increased from $42 billion to $62 billion. The result is more inflation, fewer jobs and a downturn in the economy. It is not surprising that the people in my riding are struggling and are $200 or less away from not being able to make ends meet every month. Does the Prime Minister realize that his broken promises are costing Canadians dearly?”
“Mr. Speaker, I have been to Lac-Saint-Jean many times. People have F-150s and big GM and Dodge trucks parked in their driveways. That town probably has the highest concentration of trucks in Quebec. There are hunters and fishers. It is a beautiful region for hunting and fishing. Yes, I can guarantee that these people would like to see a drop in gas prices. It is just that no one has ever talked to them about it. If we had the opportunity to offer them a tax cut, they would obviously never say no. So much the better if we can lower taxes. As many of my colleagues have mentioned in the House since the beginning of the debate, food prices are closely linked to transportation costs. In Canada, transportation is not electric, at least not for trucks. They run on gas and diesel. This inevitably drives up food prices.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are deliberately turning a blind eye if they think that everything is going well for the people of Canada. Clearly, that is not the case. More people are being forced to steal in grocery stores. That is nothing new. Shoplifting has been around for a long time, but due to the pressure on all Canadians, some families have to shoplift in grocery stores if they want to eat. It is no joke. Honestly, I do not understand why the Liberals are not paying down our debt. The interest that is piling up is obviously driving up inflation.”
“Mr. Speaker, every political party makes its own choices about which policies it wants to put forward. The Conservative Party's priority is to put more money in Canadians' pockets by cutting taxes. My colleague can choose to disagree with that. He can tell his constituents why they are paying more and more for the food on their plates, because he is going to hear about it. People in Lac-Saint-Jean pay taxes like everyone else. The Bloc Québécois has not supported the policies that are best suited to the present time: making cuts and putting money back in people's pockets.”
“We will cut taxes and make sure that Canadians can once again afford decent housing, transportation and food. In my riding, more than a third of people receiving food assistance are middle-class workers. This is unacceptable.”
“Deficits continue to increase the national debt. Another $65 billion or $100 billion in debt will be added this year. Let us not forget that this is interrelated. The Parliamentary Budget Officer told us this morning that in 2030, or four years from now, we might end up paying up to $80 billion in interest on the country's national debt. That is more than the government spends on health transfers across Canada. It is unbelievable. All of this fuels inflation and makes Canadian families even poorer. The Conservatives are proposing another way. We will end out-of-control spending. We will cut the red tape. We will scrap costly contracts awarded to consultants. We will help ease the tax pressure and give power back to Canadian families.”