Mélanie Joly
Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Quebec · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are the party that wants to create wealth in Canada. In this tariff war, we must control what we can at home, given that we are in a world where we cannot control what lies beyond our borders. What we can control is how we build. High‑speed rail will allow us to create 51,000 jobs.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is a serious man who knows business and understands the economy. Right now he is working with all the first ministers, basically all the premiers of our provinces and territories, to make sure that we are dealing with the impacts of the trade war, which is never alluded to by the Leader of the Opposition.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are taking care of our people. That is why Quebeckers and Canadians trust us. The Prime Minister , the Minister of Finance , the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade and I work every day to protect people in the steel sector. Among other things, we have protected the steel sector by preventing all forms of dumping.”
“Mr. Speaker, we have great news. In May, there were 88,000 new jobs, led by jobs for young people. Young people are getting new jobs, and so are women across the country. We have other projects I can cite, and I am convinced that the Leader of the Opposition will rejoice. There are 300 new jobs with Hitachi in Varennes, Quebec.”
“Mr. Speaker, to hear the Leader of the Opposition talk, it seems like he takes pleasure in the prospect of bad news. The reality is that there is plenty of good news. I am going to give him some. There are 200 new jobs at Tenaris in Sault Ste. Marie. We have just secured more than 300 jobs at Kruger in Trois-Rivières.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are working with the Government of Quebec to help companies in Quebec and across the country that are affected by tariffs. That is why we recently announced $1.5 billion to support businesses in the steel and aluminum sectors that were affected by the White House's new tariffs.”
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“Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are the party that wants to create wealth in Canada. In this tariff war, we must control what we can at home, given that we are in a world where we cannot control what lies beyond our borders. What we can control is how we build. High‑speed rail will allow us to create 51,000 jobs. We will be able to connect Quebec's biggest cities, including Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Gatineau and Trois‑Rivières. We will also be able to connect to Ontario, to Toronto. In short, we will be able to do what the major countries and industrial powers of the world are doing. We are capable of building at home, and that is what we are doing.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is a serious man who knows business and understands the economy. Right now he is working with all the first ministers, basically all the premiers of our provinces and territories, to make sure that we are dealing with the impacts of the trade war, which is never alluded to by the Leader of the Opposition. Notwithstanding this trade war, last month we were able to create 88,000 jobs across the country, particularly for young people and for women. Not only that, but we are also going through a trade surplus, the highest since January 2025, which was before the trade war.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are taking care of our people. That is why Quebeckers and Canadians trust us. The Prime Minister , the Minister of Finance , the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade and I work every day to protect people in the steel sector. Among other things, we have protected the steel sector by preventing all forms of dumping. If my colleague wishes to raise a particular issue, we are ready to work with him and with all steel producers in Canada because we have to protect our factories and steel mills. At the same time, we are providing funding to help our workers and our businesses.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are working with the Government of Quebec to help companies in Quebec and across the country that are affected by tariffs. That is why we recently announced $1.5 billion to support businesses in the steel and aluminum sectors that were affected by the White House's new tariffs. At the same time, my colleague responsible for natural resources has just announced more funding for the forest products industry. We are in the midst of a ruthless tariff war, and we will protect our workers and our businesses.”
“Mr. Speaker, we have great news. In May, there were 88,000 new jobs, led by jobs for young people. Young people are getting new jobs, and so are women across the country. We have other projects I can cite, and I am convinced that the Leader of the Opposition will rejoice. There are 300 new jobs with Hitachi in Varennes, Quebec. With Alstom, there are new jobs in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville. There are also new jobs in Vancouver at Providence Health Care, 768 new jobs for that project. At Hanon Systems in Vaughan, there are 300 new jobs. I have dozens of examples like that.”
“Mr. Speaker, to hear the Leader of the Opposition talk, it seems like he takes pleasure in the prospect of bad news. The reality is that there is plenty of good news. I am going to give him some. There are 200 new jobs at Tenaris in Sault Ste. Marie. We have just secured more than 300 jobs at Kruger in Trois-Rivières. We have also just secured 240 jobs at Kap Paper in northern Ontario. We have ensured that 400 new jobs will be created at Siemens Canada. The agreement we just signed with Saab and Bombardier for the GlobalEye represents 3,000 new jobs. I could keep going.”
“Madam Speaker, I know that my colleague is passionate about the economy. We have had several conversations about it. I also know that he is a numbers guy and that he respects facts. The truth is that the figures are clear this morning. We helped create 88,000 new jobs. My colleague said that youth unemployment is up, but it is actually down. It dropped by nearly 1% in the past month. I can, of course, provide him with the most recent figures from Statistics Canada. I am sure he will read them. There is also good news when it comes to affordability. This morning, the Prime Minister made an important announcement—”
“Madam Speaker, I have a lot of time and respect for my colleague, but the reality is that he did not read the news this morning. I think he took his notes from yesterday, and he is trying to keep the same narrative today. The reality is, indeed, we are in job-creation mode. Indeed, notwithstanding the trade war, which the Conservatives never acknowledge, that we are dealing with unjustified tariffs from the U.S., we were able to create 147,000 jobs in this country. Last month alone, it was 88,000. We are building the economy and building the country strong.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Victoria for his important work. Indeed, a lot is happening in the forestry sector, which is a complete victim of the illegal and unjustifiable tariffs from the American administration. That is why the Minister of Natural Resources and I have been working on a plan to really support the sector. While the Minister of Natural Resources is in B.C. with his counterparts from the provinces and territories, we are working on liquidity support, more than $1 billion for the forestry sector. We will be there for the workers in the sector.”
“Mr. Speaker, clearly my colleague was not with us on Friday when we were in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, not far from his riding, to support the employees of Rio Tinto and the entire aluminum sector, who are the victims of a ruthless tariff war. Surely my colleague is aware that we, together with the Premier of Quebec, made an incredible announcement for the aluminum sector: the expansion of the AP60 plant. Furthermore, we have invested an additional $100 million in the new Elysis technology, which will ensure that Quebec's aluminum is the greenest in the world.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Brome—Missisquoi for his important question. We know that Canada's economy is one of those most closely integrated with the U.S. economy, not to mention that we are also in the midst of a tariff war. Despite that, investments are being made in sectors affected by tariffs. In fact, last Friday, together with Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette, we inaugurated AP60, Rio Tinto's new plant in Saguenay that will produce the world's greenest aluminum. We have also invested $100 million in ELYSIS, the latest in carbon-neutral aluminum technology. Simply put, we are capable of creating jobs even in the current tariff environment.”
“Mr. Speaker, of course our thoughts are with the workers in Saint-Michel-des-Saints because we know that this is a very difficult time for the forest products sector across the country. That is also why we will be there for them. We currently have a plan for steel, aluminum and copper, which is very beneficial under the circumstances, knowing, of course, that unjustified and unjustifiable tariffs are being imposed on these sectors. However, the Minister of Natural Resources and I are working to ensure that these BDC products can also be made available to the forestry sector. I look forward to working with my colleague on this because we need to support communities across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that we are there for our businesses, especially our SMEs. We are there for businesses in Quebec and across Canada. In fact, just one month ago, we announced some new funding: $1.5 billion for the steel, aluminum and copper sectors. I have been in contact with a number of stakeholders in Quebec and across Canada. They are very grateful for our help. In the meantime, while the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade is in Washington, we will be there, not just for any agreement, but for a good agreement for Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister answers questions rather than insulting the media. That is the first point. The second point is that I think it is important to understand that our plan is working. Our non-U.S. exports are on the rise; in fact, they are doubling. The other point is that wages have consistently outpaced inflation. Furthermore, we can see that Canada is the most attractive destination in the G7 for foreign investment. It is clear that our plan is working.”
“Mr. Speaker, of course we want consumers to be well informed about their rights. We also believe that we need to do more to encourage competition in the grocery sector, particularly in grocery stores and among all the big chains, as well as in the telecommunications sector, where we know that monopolies or oligopolies sometimes exist, which is problematic. That is why we are going to take an extremely clear and aggressive approach to competition, while protecting organizations like Option consommateurs, which are also important to Quebeckers and Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are going to present a new vision for competition in Canada. Of course we believe in the importance of civil society for improving consumer protection. We are going to work with the organizations to ensure that they have access to funding, because their work is extremely important. At the same time, we are going to work with the provinces and territories because we know that they are largely responsible for everything to do with consumer protection. In short, we will find a solution to this problem. I look forward to working on this issue with my colleague.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are currently managing a tariff war, with an economy that is much more integrated with that of the United States, and my colleague across the way knows that very well. One thing is clear, though: We are creating jobs in the meantime. We have also been able to attract jobs in a number of sectors in our economy. I will give some examples: 3,000 jobs thanks to the agreement with Saab and Bombardier to develop a surveillance aircraft; 350 new jobs at the Kruger plant, in Trois‑Rivières; and 250 new jobs at MDS Coating Technologies, in Prince Edward Island.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank our fantastic MP for Sault Ste. Marie—Algoma for his hard work. I know that the community and the town have been going through really tough times because of the unjustified and illegal American tariffs against our steelworkers, but there is good news. Notwithstanding U.S. protectionism, our plan is working, because in Sault Ste. Marie last Friday, we were able to announce 200 new jobs, a $76-million investment by the federal government, and Tenaris' own investment.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada is currently the top destination for foreign investment in the G7. That is my first point. My second point, proving that we are currently a prime destination for business, is that 3,000 jobs were announced yesterday. Saab, a Swedish company, decided to partner with Bombardier, a Canadian company of which we are very proud, to enter the military aerospace industry by building a new surveillance aircraft for us as well as for several other countries around the world. That is how we are going to build a strong country.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to share good news, which is important, in order to make the point that my colleague is missing right now. Yesterday, we were able to announce 3,000 new jobs across the country. Why? It is because Saab, a Swedish company, decided to work with Bombardier, a Canadian company, and deliver, for the first time, a surveillance plane, and that will bring Canada back into military aerospace. Our defence industrial strategy will create jobs across the country, in every single province represented here in the House of Commons chamber.”
“Mr. Speaker, we can be proud to have a Prime Minister who not only is travelling across the world to bring back investment and jobs but also is working in a very difficult environment across the world as the international rules order is shifting. That is what Canadians expect. We were able to create jobs across this country. We have been able to create more than 70,000 jobs since last fall, and we will continue to do so.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague just referred to some good news today for the over 3,000 people who are about to get jobs because of the new partnership between Saab and Bombardier. Finally, we are going to get a surveillance aircraft not only for Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces, but for the whole world. The United Arab Emirates, France and several other NATO countries want to buy this aircraft, which is finally going to be manufactured in Canada by Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, at last, a good question, and it comes from my colleague from Mont-Saint-Bruno—L'Acadie. Indeed, two weeks ago we received some very good news for the aerospace sector, particularly for Airbus in Mirabel. There are now 150 new aircraft under construction in Mirabel. This is an order placed by AirAsia, a Malaysian—and therefore Asian—airline, with Airbus, a European company. All of this proves that our plan is working. We are capable of attracting foreign investment.”
“Mr. Speaker, we know how to give the next generation a chance and an opportunity: by making investments that create jobs. We can celebrate the new order for 150 new commercial aircraft from Airbus in Mirabel. This is the largest order in the history of commercial aviation in Canada. That is good news for people in the Lower Laurentians. There is more good news. I was also with the Quebec government when we announced new funding for Kruger in Trois-Rivières, which represents 350 new jobs. We recognize the company's impact in the region.”
“Mr. Speaker, I was just speaking with the CEO of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec. She told me how pleased she was with the government's work. Of course, there is always more to be done, and we will certainly be doing more. In the meantime, I think this is good news. It is good news for companies like BRP, which have been affected by the White House's new interpretation of tariffs. The same applies to companies like Manac that employ thousands of people in Quebec and across the country. That is why my colleague and I were in solution mode this morning.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her important question. The fact is that we announced some good news for our businesses this morning: $1.5 billion to help with cash flow. Extremely favourable loans are also on the table, with 0% interest in the first year and very low interest rates in the second and third years. Furthermore, there is no requirement to repay the loan before the end of the term, that is, in three years. We are doing that because we know that our businesses need help. We are there to help them. We received a positive response from the Conseil du patronat du Québec and from Manufacturiers et exportateurs du Québec. We are meeting their needs to the letter.”
“Mr. Speaker, I give my colleague 100% for following his leader's instructions. He just had to read the question he is asking us today. He is full of jokes this morning. We are going to give him a little lesson on the numbers. Right now, Canada's economic growth is the second highest among the G7 countries. We also have the strongest fiscal position in the G7. Those are the numbers. Those are the facts. We have a solid plan, and we are going to stand by it.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague seems to have forgotten the extent to which we are in a tariff war and he refuses to recognize how much we have been there to support the auto sector, the copper sector, the aluminum sector and the steel sector. Quebec welcomed the announcement we made this morning regarding our $1-billion investment through the Business Development Bank of Canada and our $500-million investment in our regional economic development agencies. My colleague must recognize that we have reduced the government's operating expenses while still making investments. These investments are driving economic growth. In short, our plan is working, and we stand by it.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague in charge of natural resources will be able to answer that question. What I can add to that is that the Conservatives, in all their questions, always forget something that all Canadians know, which is that we are in a trade war. A lot of workers' jobs are at stake, and that is exactly why today we announced $1 billion through the BDC to help our steel, aluminum and copper workers, and it is also why we announced $500 million to support workers across the country. We have been there since the beginning of the trade war, and we will continue to be there.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague's question is very relevant, because he mentioned the tariff war, which is real and is affecting regions across the country, including his own. What we are doing though the spring economic statement is building a strong economy. We are also protecting the social safety net that is so important to millions of Canadians. At the same time, we are reducing the deficit by $11 billion. We are doing all that while achieving the second-strongest growth of the G7 despite the tariff war, and we are using our fiscal position to give back to Canadians. That is what building Canada strong means.”
“Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleague is kidding. I do not think he even believes his own words when he reads them. This morning, I spoke with my new colleague, my new counterpart, Quebec's minister of economy, innovation and energy, Bernard Drainville. We have agreed on several projects that are fundamental to Quebec's economy. Furthermore, we will very soon be announcing assistance for our small and medium-sized businesses in the steel and aluminum sectors. We know that the White House's interpretation of tariffs has changed. We know that businesses across the country, including in Quebec, are being affected. That is why we will be there to help them.”
“Mr. Speaker, our concrete solutions are clear. In the past six months, we have created 96,000 jobs. That is far more than would have been created by the Conservatives. In addition, we have succeeded in maintaining the second-strongest growth in the G7 and the strongest fiscal position. Of course we know that Canadians need help. We know that gas prices have gone up. We know that grocery prices are still too high. That is why we have a strong social safety net. That is why we are here to help Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”
“Mr. Speaker, when I listen to the Conservatives, I am struck by how casually they treat the tariff war. We are managing the threat of U.S. tariffs. At the same time, we are here to build a strong economy. Given these circumstances, we are protecting our social safety net and reducing our deficit by $11 billion. We are here to support Canadians, and we will do so by maintaining the second-strongest economic growth in the G7. What is more, we will do so by having the strongest and most appropriate fiscal position of all G7 countries.”
“Mr. Speaker, what is a bit rich is the fact that the Conservatives are not defending our auto workers. This spring economic update is all about our auto strategy and supporting our 5,000 auto workers, including those working in the parts sector of the auto sector. I have good news today. GM just announced, in St. Catharines, more than $690 million of investments in the next generation of engines. This is our plan working.”
“Mr. Speaker, I think that my Conservative colleagues do not understand the sense of urgency in the Canadian economy. They would look at the trade war and twiddle their thumbs while standing back and doing absolutely nothing. What we are doing, in essence, is reducing the government's operational spending. We are making sure that we are spending less while investing in capital projects. We are making sure that we create investments. It is all working, as the IMF has confirmed. We will continue creating prosperity here at home.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are building a strong economy and we have all the data to prove it. We have the second-largest economic growth in the G7. We also have the most enviable fiscal position in the G7. That being the case, what are we doing? We are helping our businesses and workers who are affected by the trade war. We are establishing a sovereign wealth fund to demonstrate economic nationalism, just as Quebeckers did in the 1960s when we decided to take control of our own destiny. That is the vision that inspired us to stand up for ourselves and create prosperity here at home.”
“Mr. Speaker, of course, we believe in competition, because we believe that competition brings down prices. That is why we have said clearly that we would be hawkish on competition. That being said, we are very concerned with the allegations linked to algorithmic competition. We want to make sure that, ultimately, consumers are well protected. This is work that we will be doing as well with the provinces and territories, and of course we will be there for consumers and Canadians across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to welcome my colleague, the member for Terrebonne, back to the House. We are working tirelessly on behalf of our workers and businesses affected by the White House's tariffs. That is why we have announced $63 million for 99 businesses affected by the steel and aluminum tariffs to protect jobs and help these businesses pivot. This helps employees and workers, whether in Terrebonne, Repentigny, Sherbrooke, Quebec City, Montreal or elsewhere across Quebec. I would like to thank my colleague for her excellent work.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are building Canada strong. That is exactly why we have the second-highest growth of the G7 and also the best fiscal position of the G7, all that while dealing with unjustified and illegal tariffs on the part of the American administration; all that while our workers in the auto, steel, aluminum and forestry sectors are affected. We know the manufacturing sector is impacted by the tariffs. We are making sure to put money on the table to help these workers and help these businesses. We will continue to do that because this is exactly what this government needs to do right now.”
“Mr. Speaker, indeed, in an interview with La Presse, the Prime Minister said that he was a nationalist and that he advocates economic nationalism. What does that mean? Essentially, it means being in control of our own destiny, being able to use the levers of our economy to help our own people while managing a trade war. It is under those circumstances that we announced a sovereign wealth fund. It is also under these circumstances that we are investing in our natural resources, as well as in renewable energy. That is why our investments will have an impact across Quebec and across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are building a strong economy while protecting our social safety net and getting our house in order. What are we really doing? We are spending less so we can invest more. In concrete terms, the results speak for themselves. We have the second-highest growth in the G7, and we also have the most enviable fiscal position and fiscal reality in the G7. At the same time, we are bringing down the cost of groceries. At the same time, we are also lowering gas prices at the pumps. Basically, we are here for Canadians, and this is what a competent government looks like.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are there for seniors, in fact. That is why every time we release a new economic announcement, we are thinking about how we can protect them. We were in favour of lowering the retirement age to 65, but my colleague voted against that. Not only that, but we are there for seniors in various ways, including by fighting food inflation, because it goes without saying that seniors are also affected by food inflation. My colleague is very nice. We have a very good relationship, and I will be pleased to work with him to address our seniors' financial woes.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have been in touch with the president of ADF in Terrebonne. I have been in touch with Max Atlas. I have also been in touch with the CEO of BRP. As a result, we have a great deal of information about the reality facing businesses right now. We are well aware that the change in the tariff calculation is having a negative impact on our businesses and our workers. We have been there for Canadians since the tariff war began. We will continue to be there, and we will be there tomorrow as well.”
“Mr. Speaker, first, we know that the Premier of Quebec is in Washington today. Of course we will work with her, knowing that she will stand up for Quebec's businesses and workers. I had the opportunity to speak with her, and so did the Prime Minister . We will be there for our businesses. We already have various ways of supporting our businesses with their investments, but we will do more. It will be our pleasure to work with my colleague to ensure that we stand up for workers in Quebec.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague is correct. We completely disagree with the White House's new interpretation of tariffs. We have held numerous discussions with the manufacturing sector in Quebec and across the country. That is precisely why we will be there to support our business leaders and workers across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague is right. We are working on solutions to support active transportation throughout Quebec. The minister is actively working on this file. He just responded to my colleague. The Prime Minister and the Premier of Quebec are meeting today. We know this is a priority, and we will help my colleague in Valleyfield, but we will also help communities across Quebec because we know we have to be there for our public transit companies.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague is picking and choosing from that very RBC report he is reporting. When we look at it, the same report mentions that “Canada is back on the radar of global investors. Last year, foreign direct investment in Canada reached nearly $100 billion, the highest level since 2015.” It was in the news this morning. We will host an investment summit. The entire world is invited to come to Canada on September 14 and 15. We will invest, we will create jobs and we will grow this country.”
“Mr. Speaker, our position on the issue is well known. We have said it again and again. Today, there is good news. Why? We are welcoming the second woman Premier in Quebec's history to Ottawa. Our objective is to protect jobs, create more jobs and improve the living condition of Quebeckers in the midst of a tariff war. Good news: We will be hard at work.”
“Mr. Speaker, here is some good news. The Premier of Quebec is indeed in town, and we are going to work together to defend Quebeckers and Canadians. We will do so knowing that we are proud to have a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that has been in effect for over 40 years and that has protected Quebeckers and Canadians since the Constitution was repatriated.”
“Mr. Speaker, we will be there for Anthony; we will be there for all young people across the country. That is why, today, the Prime Minister is meeting with the Premier of Quebec, because we will be there to help build more homes across Quebec and across the country. That is also why we have eliminated the GST for first-time homebuyers. That is also why we are here to support young families. Meanwhile, what are the Conservatives doing? They are voting against all the measures currently in place to help young people across the country.”