Joël Lightbound
Louis-Hébert, Quebec · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, they want to talk about our record, then let us talk about it. This government's record includes $10 billion in infrastructure for hospitals, public transit and schools in Quebec. Our record includes three million Quebeckers who will receive the Canada groceries and essentials benefit.”
“Mr. Speaker, speaking of a lack of leadership, Canadians have been looking for the Conservative Party's economic plan for at least two years. No one has found it yet, because it does not exist. I would invite my colleague to look at the superdeduction in budget 2025, for example.”
“Mr. Speaker, when we listen to the Bloc Québécois, we have no trouble understanding why Quebeckers made the wise choice to send 44 Quebec members to this side of the House. Our members are firmly focused on building our economy while protecting our environment.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague. It is a pleasure to work with him on a number of issues in the Quebec City region. I would be happy to discuss this particular issue with him at a later date.”
“Mr. Speaker, to pick up on what the government House leader said, I will not apologize for acting quickly for Quebeckers and Canadians. We have demonstrated this over the past few months, such as with a $10‑billion infrastructure agreement with Quebec to build public transit and deliver the infrastructure that our cities need.”
“Mr. Speaker, in response to my colleague, I would say that what is not working is the Conservatives. They stand up and pretend to show empathy, but when it comes time to vote for concrete measures that help their constituents, they vote against them at every turn. I encourage my colleague to do some math.”
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“Mr. Speaker, on the first point, I would like to make a modest suggestion. There will be a provincial election in 2026, and if the member for Berthier—Maskinongé and the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles want to run—”
“Mr. Speaker, the theatrics are remarkable, but votes speak louder than theatrics. The member voted against an increase in the guaranteed income supplement, which helps the most vulnerable seniors. She voted against the Canada child benefit, against the Canadian dental care plan and against a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. She voted against affordable housing. Next year, I encourage the Conservatives to rethink their approach and figure out how they can truly help their constituents, instead of engaging in theatrics in the House every day.”
“Mr. Speaker, the ones living on another planet are the Conservative members, like my esteemed colleague, who voted against a budget that provides such direct assistance to their constituents. Take, for example, the Canadian dental care plan, which is helping at least 20,000 people in the member's riding. Another example is the Canada child benefit, which has reduced child poverty in Canada by 38%. I invite the member to visit the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in my region to discuss the impact these policies have had on the lives of Quebeckers, policies that she has consistently voted against.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague; this is an important issue. The homelessness situation in Canada and Quebec is of particular concern to us. That is why we have had a strategy to combat homelessness for several years now, backed by significant investments. I invite my colleague to review the 2025 budget, which, I would remind her, she voted against. This budget provides $1 billion for transitional housing to support people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. I invite her to rethink her position on the 2025 budget and to support our efforts to combat this very serious problem.”
“Mr. Speaker, if my esteemed colleague wants to review our track record, we can talk about the 180,000 jobs created in Canada in the past three months or the unemployment rate that has fallen for three months in a row and is now 5.1% in Quebec. We can also talk about major investments in Canada, like the $19-billion investment Microsoft announced this week. How about the fact that inflation is within the Bank of Canada's range and that wages are rising faster than inflation? If we review the Bloc Québécois's record, what do we have? It did not make a single cultural or environmental request ahead of the budget. The Bloc even voted against the national food program for the most vulnerable young people, against investments in culture and against investments in a social safety net in Quebec.”
“Mr. Speaker, I notice that the Conservatives make up imaginary taxes faster than they come up with questions for question period, because they always ask the same questions. However, if the member wants to talk about the reality on the ground, there is nothing imaginary about it. The Canada child benefit has reduced child poverty by 40% in our country. The Canadian dental care plan provides access to dental care for 1.5 million Quebeckers. The national school food program provides 100,000 of Quebec's most vulnerable young people with access to meals. Allow me to share one more statistic: 180,000 jobs have been created in the last three months. These are opportunities for Quebeckers and Canadians across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House, for the sixth time today, that the policy the member is referring to is not a Government of Canada policy, and it never will be. If she wants to talk about culture, I can tell her that I am very proud of our Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and this government, which has invested $4.1 billion in official languages, among other things, and $770 million in culture. The only thing we asked of the Bloc Québécois was to make requests in anticipation of the budget. However, it did not make a single suggestion regarding the cultural industry.”
“Mr. Speaker, in my previous answer, I listed everything the Conservatives have voted against. These are measures that directly support the people in my colleague's riding and Quebeckers and Canadians across the country. We were elected to provide opportunities to young Quebeckers and to Canadians from coast to coast to coast. That is exactly what we are doing. In November, 54,000 jobs were created. In October, 67,000 jobs were created. In September, 60,000 jobs were created. The unemployment rate is falling and so is the inflation rate because on this side of the House, we are building the strongest economy in the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, after expending so much energy to get elected to the House of Commons, it is sad to see members come here day after day and simply repeat the same talking points written by the Leader of the Opposition . To answer his question, it is even sadder to see my colleague vote against measures like the Canada child benefit or the national school food program, which is saving the most vulnerable families $800. He votes against affordable housing and against the Canadian dental care plan. I would like him to tell me what he is thinking of when he talks about inflationary spending.”
“Mr. Speaker, what sets us apart from the Conservative Party is that on this side of the House, we believe that we need to build a strong economy to protect the most vulnerable. When it comes to the first part, a strong economy, 54,000 jobs were created in November, 67,000 in October, and 60,000 in September. The unemployment rate is falling and inflation is within the Bank of Canada's target range. That is what a strong economy looks like. As for protecting the most vulnerable, that is something that would never cross the Conservatives' minds. Not only that, but they are determined to vote against the Canadian dental care plan, Canada's national school food program, the Canada child benefit, and tax cuts for 22 million Canadians. Frankly, the hypocrisy of the Conservative Party is shocking.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives keep talking about inflationary spending. We ask them what inflationary spending they would cut. During the election campaign, the Leader of the Opposition was asked if he would cut the Canadian dental care plan, which is helping more than one million Quebeckers and six million Canadians. He said that the program did not even exist, but I can assure the House that in his own riding, there are tens of thousands of his constituents who were able to go to the dentist for the first time in years because of this program. Is that what the member means by inflationary spending?”
“Mr. Speaker, throughout the last election campaign, Bloc Québécois members proposed nothing. All they ever said was, if it is good for Quebec, we vote for it, and if it is not good for Quebec, we vote against it. When they had the opportunity to vote for a budget that is good for Quebec, a budget that includes $4 billion for Hydro-Québec, a project in Contrecœur, a project with Nouveau Monde Graphite, investments in infrastructure and historic investments in culture, they voted against it. They did not show up. Worse still, when Bloc Québécois members had the opportunity to say what they wanted, they said absolutely nothing about culture. That is shameful.”
“Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Bloc Québécois members want to create a diversion. I would nevertheless like to remind them that we have invested historic sums in culture, not for the sake of artists' loyalty, but rather so that artists can be loyal to themselves and their artistic expression. For the leader of the Bloc Québécois to claim that Canada's investments in culture could neutralize our artists shows what little regard, even contempt, he has for our artists in Quebec. My message to them is that neither the leader of the Bloc Québécois nor the leader at their headquarters in Quebec City has the right to judge other Quebeckers on their loyalty to Quebec.”
“Mr. Speaker, the total failure is the Conservatives who voted against a budget that makes historic investments in housing and that lowers taxes for 22 million Canadians and for first-time buyers of a new home. That is the total failure, and it is clearly on that side of the House.”
“Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago, every housing organization heaved a sigh of relief to see that Stephen Harper's 10-year reign was finally over, since the Conservatives completely neglected this issue and got out of the affordable housing game altogether. By way of evidence, their own leader oversaw the construction of only six affordable housing units. It is really unbelievable to see that these Quebec members have such an optimistic view of their own party. They are out of touch with reality. On this side of the House, we have invested historic amounts in affordable housing. The Parliamentary Budget Officer is not taking into account the continuation—”
“Mr. Speaker, this side of the House feels it is important to support the sectors that have been affected by the tariff war with the United States. I would note, however, that my colleague voted against a tax cut that represents approximately $800 per family in Canada and Quebec. She voted against Canada's national school food program, which helps the most vulnerable families save approximately $800 per family. She voted against the Canadian dental care plan, which helps at least 10,000 people in her riding of Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis. She voted against investments in the Davie shipyard, which is struggling to recruit the staff it needs. These are good jobs for our people. I hope she will come to her senses and support the government's action.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is a big leap for a Conservative member to talk about affordable housing. In my 10 years in politics, I have never met a housing organization that has praised the Conservative Party. At every turn, that party has always voted against investments in affordable and social housing. That is, when they do not outright disparage the concept. On this side of the House, we are investing $13 billion to build affordable housing in a way that Canada has never done before.”
“Mr. Speaker, whose interests did my colleague have in mind when he voted against the budget, which provides for a tax cut for 22 million Canadians, the Canadian dental care plan, the Canada child benefit, jobs at the port of Quebec City, jobs at the port of Saguenay, economic development, and jobs in his region at the Davie shipyard? He certainly was not thinking about his constituents' interests.”
“Mr. Speaker, while I do recognize my colleague's flair for the dramatic every time he rises in the House, his remarks remain rather weak. When the Leader of the Opposition was in charge of the housing file, he built six housing units across the country. On this side of the House, we are making unprecedented investments to build affordable housing, increase the housing supply and reduce pressure on first-time homebuyers, among other things. That is great news for Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, we have the best fiscal position of all the G7 countries, the best debt-to-GDP and deficit-to-GDP ratios in the G7 and a AAA credit rating. There is a reason why the International Monetary Fund is praising Canada's approach. There is a reason why the economists in the House are on this side of the chamber. There is also a reason why I am sure that, deep down inside, my colleague from Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier was pleased to see his colleagues hiding behind the curtains to make sure that budget 2025 was passed. It is because this is a good budget.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is mind-boggling to hear the opposition member talk about endless spending when what he is referring to are things like the Canada child benefit, which has reduced child poverty by 40% in Canada and which helps tens of thousands of Canadians in his own riding. He also talked about the Canadian dental care plan, which, again, helps hundreds of thousands of Canadians, including tens of thousands in his own riding. It is shameful. I would encourage him to come to his senses and support us. I know that, deep down, he was probably quite happy that his leader was hiding behind the curtains and that he hoped that the budget would pass because he knows it is a good budget.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is always fascinating to hear the Conservatives repeat their leader's talking points day after day and go on about imaginary taxes. They had the opportunity to vote for tax cuts for 22 million Canadians and a school food program for the most vulnerable youth. They had the opportunity to support investments in defence, in productivity and in infrastructure such as the Port of Québec and the Port of Saguenay. They had the opportunity to support defence investments in industries like the Davie shipyard near Quebec City. When it came time to vote for all these measures, they were nowhere to be found. They could not bring themselves to vote in favour of these measures, which is unfortunate. I encourage them to get their act together.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is true that the situation at the Canada Revenue Agency was unacceptable. Our government is acting quickly to provide Canadians with fast, efficient and reliable service. The plan is working. They can yell all they want, but the plan is working. We have doubled the capacity of call centres. Now, 70% of Canadians get an answer within 15 minutes, and all Canadians can access online services without having to call the CRA. That is good news. The plan is working.”
“Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are doing. We recognize that Canadians deserve fast, accurate and reliable service from the CRA. The Minister of Finance's plan is working. Seventy per cent of Canadians now get an answer in less than 15 minutes. People no longer need to call the CRA to access its online services. We have also doubled the capacity of CRA call centres.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform my colleague, as was announced by the Minister of Finance and National Revenue in the fall, that we have a 100-day plan to ensure that Canadians receive fast, accurate and reliable services from the Canada Revenue Agency, or CRA. Since the plan was implemented, the CRA's call centre capacity has doubled, and 70% of callers now receive a response in less than 15 minutes. Canadians also no longer need to call the CRA to get access to their files online. That is good news. The finance minister's plan is working.”
“Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my colleague, given the choice between a Prime Minister who visits our allies and trade partners to diversify our markets and an opposition leader who spends his time disparaging our institutions on obscure podcasts, the choice is clear and simple. Canadians made the right choice. We are focusing on diversifying markets to reduce our dependence on the United States, stimulate our economy, increase our productivity and build the strongest economy in the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, yesterday, my colleague had the opportunity to vote to lower taxes for 22 million Canadians. Yesterday, he had the opportunity to vote for a school food program for the most vulnerable children in Quebec. Yesterday, he had the opportunity to vote for investments in housing, infrastructure and the Espace Hubert‑Reeves. Yesterday, he had the opportunity to invest in defence to increase the salaries of the men and women in the Canadian Armed Forces, but he voted against all that. Now, the good news is that he can redeem himself after question period by supporting the ways and means motion. If not, he can always take a walk behind the curtains, like some of his colleagues did.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that Canada has the best fiscal position in the G7, with the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio among G7 countries. The situation we are currently facing, given the changing world economic order, requires us to be ambitious and serious for the country's future. That is exactly what budget 2025 does, with investments in infrastructure and defence. It is aiming for greater affordability with a tax cut for the middle class, and it is investing in productivity and innovation. That is budget 2025.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi for his question. I want to be clear: Modernizing port infrastructure is essential to increasing our productivity, stimulating our regional economies and strengthening the national economy. On Monday, I was very pleased to stand with Carl Laberge and Stéphanie Desforges from the Port of Saguenay; Louis Ouellet, the reeve of of the Lac-Saint-Jean-Est RCM; my Bloc Québécois colleagues from Jonquière and Lac-Saint-Jean and my colleague from Chicoutimi—Le Fjord to announce $57.6 million for the second wharf project at the Saguenay port. This is a vital project for the region. It is a vital project for Quebec. I hope my colleagues will support the 2025 budget.”
“Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, it would be irresponsible not to make the investments we are proposing in budget 2025 to stimulate growth in Canada, respond to a change in the global economic order and increase the sovereignty and resilience of the Canadian economy. I urge my colleague to reconsider and support budget 2025.”
“Mr. Speaker, let me set the record straight. The budget includes an average tax cut of $800 per middle-class family. It eliminates the GST on new homes for first-time buyers. There is an unprecedented pay increase for the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces. They received the increase last Friday. The budget includes investments to modernize infrastructure across our country, to increase the country's productivity and to grow the economy of Quebec and Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Canada has an enviable fiscal situation. We have a AAA credit rating and the lowest debt-to-GDP and deficit-to-GDP ratios in the G7. What my colleague is about to vote against is a 20% salary increase for 6,000 soldiers at Valcartier, in Quebec City. We are reinvesting in our Canadian Armed Forces. I know this is important to my colleague. How can he vote against that?”
“Mr. Speaker, the serious and ambitious alternative to what the Conservatives are proposing is budget 2025, with the best fiscal position of any G7 country, a AAA credit rating, and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio of any G7 country. This is also about making infrastructure investments to modernize our infrastructure. These are major projects to build the country, notably with Nouveau Monde Graphite, with Davie, back home in Quebec City, and in Contrecoeur. It also about the Port of Saguenay expansion, which I was very pleased to announce with the member's colleague from Chicoutimi—Le Fjord last Monday. That is what budget 2025 is all about: growing Quebec's economy and growing Canada's economy.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would encourage my colleague to actually read the budget. He mentioned housing. There is a massive investment to build housing in Quebec. He mentioned health care. Quebeckers want high-quality health care infrastructure. There is money for that in the budget. Quebeckers want good jobs. Major projects are planned across Quebec to develop our resources and create opportunities for young people. My colleague mentioned purchasing power. There is a tax cut for 22 million Canadians that will save families an average of $800. What do Quebeckers want? They want a budget that is responsible and ambitious, and that is exactly what we are delivering.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to inform my colleague that the Canadian economy added 67,000 jobs in the past month, and that is just the start. If the Conservatives help us pass budget 2025, we will unleash the power of the Canadian economy by building major projects such as the one in Contrecoeur or the container project at the port of Quebec, which my colleague's leader was praising yesterday in Quebec City. I hope the Conservatives will support the budget to build the strongest economy in the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, I will repeat what the Prime Minister said, as I think it could be useful for my colleague. The impact of the industrial carbon tax on food prices is approximately zero. Now, to pick up on what my colleague was saying, when the Conservatives talk about food insecurity, the hypocrisy shown on the other side of the House does not stop with that one inconsistency, considering that my colleague was part of a Liberal government in Quebec that introduced carbon pricing. It does not stop there because the Conservatives vote every day against initiatives that really help families, things like the national school food program, the Canada child benefit, doubling housing and helping the most vulnerable families in the country. We will take no lessons from the other side.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada has a AAA credit rating from the credit rating agencies, the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7 and the lowest borrowing rate in the G7. That is Canada's fiscal position. What is in the budget? Housing is being doubled. Investments in infrastructure are being made. The salaries of the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces are being increased like never before. We are equipping them to protect Canada's sovereignty. We are lowering the income tax of 22 million Canadians. That is what is in the budget, and I am very proud of it.”
“Mr. Speaker, to use one of the Conservatives' lines, every word a Conservative member recites obviously comes straight from the office of the Leader of the Opposition . My colleague recites them very well. He wants to talk about the future. They do not take question period very seriously, so it is no wonder that Canadians chose a serious and ambitious government that gives the middle class more buying power, gives young people more opportunities, and gives us all more major projects so that we can build our country from coast to coast to coast. I encourage them to be ever so slightly ambitious for Canada for once and to support our 2025 budget.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am really looking forward to my colleague hearing tomorrow's budget. The Minister of Finance will be presenting a generational budget for Canada. It will enable us to build the strongest economy among G7 countries, so that we can afford to have social programs that support Canadians. Here is the big difference between us on this side of the House and the Conservatives. They do not care about the Canada child benefit, the Canadian dental care plan or the national school food program. We believe in the economy. We are building the economy so that we can help Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”
“Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives fritter away every question period with talk of imaginary taxes, we on this side of the House are working on real programs with tangible effects on the lives of Canadians and Quebeckers. Take, for example, the national school food program. It is a school for all. The Breakfast Club of Quebec says that this program is having a major impact on the lives of thousands of Quebeckers living in the most disadvantaged areas. The Conservatives are incapable of supporting it. They are incapable of supporting a real plan for housing. They can keep talking about imaginary taxes all they want, but we, on this side, are going to keep on building.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Terrebonne for her excellent question. I am so glad to have her here with us. I know that there are many businesses in her riding that care about buying Canadian. What does buying Canadian mean? It means prioritizing Canadian companies and having Canadian content requirements. It means helping SMEs so they can get federal government contracts. It ultimately means supporting Canadian companies in sectors like the ones my colleague mentioned, such as aerospace, shipbuilding, artificial intelligence and manufacturing. We will move forward, because everyone knows that a contract is always better than a subsidy, and that is what will help us build this country.”
“Mr. Speaker, the reason we are on this side of the House is that we promised Canadians and young Canadians a serious plan to grow the economy by creating one Canadian economy and making key investments to build Canada's economy while reducing the cost of living and increasing buying power. That is what we have done from day one, when we introduced a tax cut for 22 million Canadians. That is what we will continue to do on November 4. I encourage my colleague to support us.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to offer my opposition colleague a briefing to help him understand the nature of this contract, which was awarded as part of a tendering process. All of the costs incurred, the $190 million over 10 years, were included in the initial contract, which was good value for money. If my colleague wants to know more about this specific contract, then I will be pleased to make sure he is appropriately briefed. Otherwise, I would invite him to go back and review what was said recently in committee, when the president of Shared Services Canada clearly explained the contract.”
“Mr. Speaker, I cannot compete with my colleague's performance, which was very impressive, although we have seen him do better. I congratulate him in any case. As for his question, if he wants to talk about sacrifices, I find that a bit hypocritical on their part. The Conservatives would sacrifice the Canada child benefit, the Canadian dental care plan, the national school food program and a pay raise for the Canadian Armed Forces. They know a thing or two about making sacrifices. The Leader of the Opposition was willing to sacrifice one of his own members in order to get re-elected a few months ago. Clearly, they have no problem with making sacrifices.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is simply astounding the way the Conservatives take every opportunity to vote against programs that truly benefit Quebeckers and Canadians. Take, for example, the Canada child benefit, which has reduced child poverty in Canada by 38%, the Canadian dental care plan or the national school food program, which the Breakfast Club describes as a huge success that will help the youth of Quebec. The Conservatives talk a good game, but every time they have a chance to do something, they go missing in action.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague wants to talk about nerve. I would say to him that the Conservatives have the nerve to stand here in the House and preach virtue, but every time they have an opportunity to vote against programs that really help young Quebeckers and young Canadians, they do so. Take, for example, the dental care program, which helps tens of thousands of people and young people in his riding access dental care. We could also mention the hundreds of thousands of young Canadians who have access to the national school food program, a program that his colleague called garbage. That takes some nerve.”
“Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) and consistent with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Agreement Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Kingdom of Spain on the Protection of Classified Information”, done at Madrid on September 9, 2025.”
“Mr. Speaker, as I just said, Canadians gave us a very clear mandate to make government more efficient. We will always ensure that we get the best value for Canadians' money. As we prepare to present a budget on November 4 that will spend less to invest more, we want to make sure we get the best value and build the strongest economy in the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians gave us a very clear mandate to reduce the use of consultants and make government more efficient. Spending less to invest more is exactly what we are going to do on November 4 in a historic budget that will lay the foundation for a strong Canadian economy. I hope the Conservatives will support it.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is always fascinating to hear the Conservatives talk about completely imaginary taxes. There are no taxes on groceries. I want to reiterate that for the benefit of the Conservatives across the way. If people want to talk about real things and not about imaginary taxes, let us talk about the Canadian dental care plan, which helps approximately 20,000 people in the member's riding. Let us talk about the Canada child benefit, which has reduced child poverty in Canada by 38% and which helps thousands of families in the member's riding. Let us talk about the national school food program, which we just made permanent and which will help about 100,000 young people in Quebec. The Breakfast Club has nothing but praise for this program because it has a direct impact on the lives of families.”