François-Philippe Champagne
Saint-Maurice—Champlain, Quebec · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, during this final question period before the summer recess, I would have expected the Leader of the Opposition to thank the Prime Minister of Canada for the work he did at the G7 summit. We brought back 13 deals that will generate $5 billion.”
“Mr. Speaker, let me remind the leader that we will take no lessons from the Conservatives. He needs to be reminded. We have the second-fastest growing economy in the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, as we come to the end of the session, we would expect the Leader of the Opposition to be a bit more cheerful because, in fact, there is good news. If he wants to look at results, Canada is the second-fastest growing economy in the G7. We have seen that investment in machinery and equipment is up.”
“Mr. Speaker, we hear the Conservatives talk against the economy. On this side of the House, we are proud. We are proud to have the most skilled workers in the world. We are proud to have an auto industry, a maritime industry, and an aerospace industry. We are proud to have critical minerals for the 21st century.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the member for Hull—Aylmer for his question and for all his leadership. I am sure that my colleagues will agree with me. He is right. Last week, we unveiled the national food security strategy, because we know that food security is a top priority for Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague will be pleased to hear that the Canadian economy ranks second in the G7 in terms of growth. Not only are we seeing growth, but we are also seeing investment; Bombardier is a perfect example of that. Quebec's aerospace industry is thriving. We have always been there to defend our industries.”
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“Madam Speaker, all the Canadians who are watching QP on TV this morning will judge the Conservatives for what they fought against. The Conservatives would be slightly more credible if they had not voted against pharmacare. They would be slightly more credible if they did not fight against child care. They might be credible from time to time if they did not vote against dental care. At every step of the way, they fought against providing support to Canadians. The Canadians who are watching at home this morning do not understand, but they do know that the Liberal government is always going to fight for them and their families.”
“Madam Speaker, I have news for my colleague. If there is one thing we will never do, it is align ourselves with the Conservatives. I will say that, and he can even share the news with all his colleagues. However, there is one thing we will do, and that is always be there for Canadians. I hope my colleague will respond to whoever made that statement and tell them that the first thing we did was cut taxes. Some 22 million Canadians are paying less tax. I hope he will respond that this government will always be there for families, for workers and for industry. Together, we will build the most resilient economy in the G7.”
“Madam Speaker, I do not know what the Conservatives are reading or listening to, but they should be listening to the good news we have. The economy grew in July. They should be rejoicing. I am sure they are going to put that in householders to tell all their constituents that the plan of this Liberal government is working. I am sure they are going to talk about the November 4 budget. I can even send them some great infographics to inform their constituents. We lowered taxes for Canadians, we made sure we removed GST for first-time homebuyers and we removed the carbon tax. There is so much good news they can put in their householders that I am going to—”
“Madam Speaker, I know the Conservatives are eager to see the budget, and hopefully they will vote for it. Indeed, we need to change course in this country. We need to spend less so we can invest more. What we are proposing to Canadians is generational investment in our future to make sure we build the most resilient economy in the G7, that we build jobs across this country and that we build a future that our children want for this nation. The Conservatives should be rejoicing that they have a government on this side that thinks about all Canadians and will grow this economy.”
“Madam Speaker, I respect my colleague a lot, but I do not think he is seeing the evolution of the Canadian economy. I have some good news for the member. The Canadian economy is growing. I think he should be thankful for the plan of this government to make sure that we grow the economy and invest in the future. On the budget, I know the Conservatives are waiting for November 4— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!”
“Mr. Speaker, if the opposition leader's mother is watching, I would not want to tell her that the Leader of the Opposition voted against the child care program, that he voted against the dental plan, that he voted against pharmacare and that he voted against school nutrition. On this side of the House, we will always be there for Canadians. Even the opposition leader's mother knows that.”
“Mr. Speaker, let me start by wishing the mother of the Leader of the Opposition a happy birthday. I am sure she is watching TV today during question period. I have good news for his mother: We cut taxes for her, along with 22 million Canadians. I do not know his mother, but I know in her heart she must be proud of the Liberal government. We cut taxes, we are fighting for families and we are going to build the country of the 21st century. Let us celebrate.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is another day, but it is the same old Conservatives. On this side of the House, we are about building the future. We are going to present a budget to build this nation. It is going to be a generational investment in our future. We are going to build the country. We are going to build jobs. We are going to create the opportunities for young people in this country. We are going to build the strongest economy in the G7, and we hope the Conservatives will vote for this budget, because it will build up our nation.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Yes, the Prime Minister is travelling around the world building bridges. Yes, the government will present a generational plan, a plan to build Canada and to grow Canada, a plan to create jobs across Canada. Instead of criticizing, the Conservative leader should stand up and congratulate the Prime Minister for building relationships and building a stronger Canada. On our side of the House, we plan to build a future for Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, there might have been a new election, but it is the same old Conservatives. The same old Conservative slogans will not feed children, but what is going to help families is taking actions like cutting taxes for 22 million Canadians. Instead of fighting against child care, instead of fighting against pharmacare and instead of fighting against dental care, let Canadians see if Conservatives are going to vote for the budget, which will be generational, to build this country.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have enormous respect for the member, but it seems he was missing in action this summer, because this summer, 22 million Canadians got a tax cut. He should be standing there celebrating, but instead he fought against child care, he fought against the Canadian dental care program and he voted against the school food program. At every step of the way, the Conservatives fought against Canadians. We will stand on the side of Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank my colleague for her excellent question. The level of service provided by the CRA is unacceptable. That is why I asked the CRA to present a 100-day plan to improve the services that Canadians have a right to expect. I also want to thank all of the CRA agents for their hard work. We will give them the technology, processes and support they need to deliver the highest level of service that Canadians have a right to expect.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is nice to see that the Conservatives are looking forward to November 4. We are looking forward to it too, because, on November 4, we will present a generational investment plan for Canada's future. We are going to build our country. We are going to protect our communities. We are going to build the Canadian economy. Together with Canadians, we will build the strongest economy in the G7. I look forward to seeing the Conservatives vote with the government to build the country of tomorrow. Long live Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for giving me the opportunity to share good news with the House. The rate has gone down to 2.5% today. The Bank of Canada just announced it. The Conservatives should celebrate. Consumers are celebrating. Businesses are celebrating. Canada is celebrating. One thing it tells all Canadians is that our plan is working. We are going to build the strongest economy in the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am so happy to see that our Conservative colleagues are so eager to see the great budget we are going to present on November 4. This is good news for Canadians indeed. It is going to be a generational investment in the future of this nation. We are going to build our country. We are going to protect our communities. We are going to empower Canadians. We are going to build the strongest economy in the G7. We are going to build like never before. We are going to build a Canada of the 21st century because we are the true north strong and free.”
“Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the government will present its budget on November 4. That is when we will see the Conservatives' true colours. Will they support a plan to make generational investments in the Canadian economy? Will they be there to support Canadian families? Will they be there to support the Canadian economy? Will they be there to support Canadian workers? The last time we introduced measures to help Canadians, they voted no. This time, Canadians will be watching. People expect every member of the House to support the budget to move Canada forward.”
“Mr. Speaker, now that our Conservative colleagues know the date of the budget, I hope they are prepared to go back to their ridings to explain to Canadians this generational investment in our collective future. I am sure they will be proud to go back to their ridings to say, “We're building this country,” that this budget is going to protect their community, that this budget is going to empower Canadians and that this budget is going to build the strongest economy in the G7. I hope all Conservatives and all members of the House will go out and tell Canadians that together we will make it. We are the true north strong and free.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his excellent question. We will be presenting an excellent budget to the House on November 4. It will be a generational investment in our future. It will be a budget to build our country. It will be a budget to protect our communities. It will be a budget to build our economy. We will build the most resilient economy in the G7. We will build the Canada of the 21st century. Long live Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is a great question indeed. We are going to present a great budget in the House on November 4. This is going to be a generational investment in our future. We are going to build this country. We are going to protect our communities. We are going to empower Canadians. We are going to build the strongest economy in the G7. We are going to build this country like never before. We are going to build the Canada of the 21st century. We are the true north strong and free.”
“Mr. Speaker, we spent the summer listening to Canadians. Do members know what Canadians have told the House? They said to act with respect to the cost of living, and that is exactly what we have done by reducing taxes for 22 million Canadians and having a rebate for the GST for first-time homebuyers. The second thing they said is to make homes more affordable. That is why we recently launched build Canada homes. The Conservatives should be celebrating today instead of talking down Canada and the Canadian economy. Let us work together to build the strongest nation.”
“Mr. Speaker, we understand the situation of many families in this country, and that is why the Prime Minister has been key in acting to make life more affordable for Canadians. The real question people are asking at home today is, why would the Conservatives vote against child care? Why did the Conservatives vote against pharmacare? Why would the Conservatives vote against the dental care program? Why would the Conservatives stand up in the House asking these questions when they voted against helping Canadians? On this side of the House, we will always be on the side of Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is reassuring to hear that the Leader of the Opposition listened to the Prime Minister during the summer. I am glad to see he retained that we are going to spend less so we can invest more in Canadians, for example, reducing taxes for 22 million Canadians, making sure that people who want to buy a home for the first time will pay less in GST and making sure that we eliminate the consumer carbon tax. The Conservative leader should celebrate that this government is there for families across Canada to build a stronger and more—”
“Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we obviously recognize the situation many Canadians are in. That is why, in the last election, Canadians chose a Liberal government, a government that would be there for them. The first thing this government did was lower taxes for 22 million Canadians, precisely to help families in this country. That is something we should be proud of, it is something the Conservatives should be celebrating, and it is exactly the kind of measure we are going to put in place. We will help the middle class, help families and build a Canada that all Canadians will be proud of.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians made a choice during the last election. They chose a government that is going to focus on the economy and on change. That is exactly what we are doing. We said that we are going to be rigorous in our expenses so we can be ambitious in our investments. Canadians understand that if we want to build a strong economy in the 21st century, we need to invest. That is exactly what we are going to do for Canadians. We are going to build the most resilient economy in the G7. We are going to build the Canada of the future. We are going to build a Canada that all Canadians can be proud of.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians have met the Prime Minister and they have seen one thing: a Prime Minister who listens, a Prime Minister with vision and, most importantly, a Prime Minister who takes action. The first thing that the new Liberal government did was to cut taxes for 22 million Canadians across the country. We recognized that we need to make a collective effort to help those who need it most. What is more, we also reduced the GST for homebuyers, and we introduced the most ambitious list for building Canada—”
“Mr. Speaker, I have good news for the member. This is a very real issue and that is why we have a very real answer on this side of the House. The very first thing the Prime Minister did for Canadians was reduce taxes for 22 million Canadians. Some 22 million Canadians have more money in their pockets to face the cost of living. On this side of the House, we are not about slogans. We are not about jokes. We are serious about delivering for Canadians and we will continue to fight for Canadians at every step of the way.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent work. The major project in Contrecœur will increase the port of Montreal's capacity by roughly 60%, giving eastern Canada the world-class infrastructure it needs to help us diversify our markets. With the creation of the Major Projects Office, we are moving from vision to action by creating thousands of good jobs, connecting regions, unlocking new industries and building Canada into the strongest economy in the G7. That is the way to build a country in the 21st century.”
“Mr. Speaker, what young Canadians in general want is to be able to live affordably in Canada, be able to buy a home, have affordable housing and build a resilient economy for the future. On this side of the House, we have always understood that the best thing we can do is build a strong economy for all Canadians. On this side of the House, I can say that the Liberals will work together to build the strongest economy, make life affordable for Canadians, build more homes and make Canada the best economy in the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, I find my colleague's question somewhat surprising. We listened not only to Conservative voters, but to all Canadian voters. They want us to tackle the cost of living, so the first thing the Prime Minister's Liberal government did was lower taxes for 22 million Canadians. That means more money in the pockets of the people in his riding. The second thing Canadians asked us to do was to build affordable housing. Just yesterday, we announced build Canada homes to help more families. Those of us on this side of the House will work together to build the strongest economy in the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, we listen to Canadians, something the Conservatives may want to do a bit more of. What Canadians have told us is that affordability is their first concern. The second is housing, and the third is the economy. What have we done while their leader was away? The first thing we did was reduce taxes for 22 million Canadians. Everyone got a raise on Canada Day. The second thing was to remove the GST for first-time homebuyers. We are going to build with Canadians, with every Canadian, the strongest economy in the G7. That is what this Liberal government is about.”
“Mr. Speaker, what we are prepared to admit is that we landed generational investment in this country. We have seen companies like Volkswagen choosing Canada. We have seen companies like Honda choosing Canada. We have seen companies like Stellantis choosing Canada. The reasons are that we have the best workers in the world, we have a growing industry and they know Canada is the land of the future. The Conservatives should rally with us, cheer for our workers and cheer for our industry. Let us cheer for Canada together.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is incumbent on every member in this House to fight for the auto sector. We know they are the best workers in the world. We know they are in our communities across the country. We have been working with them hand in hand each time. We are facing a trade war from our closest neighbour, but one thing is true. We are going to fight for our workers. We are going to fight for our industry. We are going to fight for Canada. We are the true north strong and free, and we will fight for our workers.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague should be happy that our government brought Quebec into the auto industry. There have been record investments in the auto industry. I invite my colleague to visit Bécancourt to see what the auto industry looks like. We are building the industry of the future in Quebec, in Ontario and across the country. Those of us on this side of the House have always fought for communities, be they in Brampton, in Oshawa or in Windsor. Together, we will build Canada strong.”
“Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives. We will take no lessons from these guys. Under our government, we have seen record investment in the auto sector. Even Bloomberg ranked Canada first in the world for its EV supply chain. We should all be celebrating. We are going to fight for the industry. We are going to fight for our workers. We are going to fight for Canada strong.”
“A review of the transcripts will show that the member for Mirabel asked me: Were these carbon tax rebate cheques that were sent out in the middle of an election to buy votes in eight provinces delivered without the tax that funded them being collected? To that question, I simply replied, “Madam Chair, the answer is no.” I believe that it is simply wrong to describe the carbon tax payments as an attempt to buy votes, as the member implied in his question. The date on which the rebate cheques were sent to Canadians is public knowledge. At no time did I mislead the House on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your attention to this matter, and I apologize for any misunderstanding. At no time did I attempt to mislead the House.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise today to address the question of privilege raised by the member for Mirabel . I have had the pleasure of working with my hon. colleague for four years now. I hope that he will agree that I have always been courteous and frank in my dealings with him and with all members of the House. However, in raising this question of privilege, the member accuses me of deliberately misleading the House during consideration of the main estimates in committee of the whole. As we all know, procedures in committee of the whole can be lengthy and, in some cases, questions can be open to interpretation.”
“Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I would tell my colleague that we are inviting everyone to join us in building Canada. Quebec will have an important role to play. Quebec is a leader in renewable energy, hydroelectricity and interprovincial trade. This is a golden opportunity for the Bloc Québécois to vote in favour of Quebec and, at the same time, build a strong, resilient and prosperous Canada. Unions, workers and employers support the bill. The House should vote in favour of this major initiative to build Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is not just a dream. One Canadian economy will become reality. Not only do we expect the Bloc to support us, but we have the business community behind us. We have the unions. We have the provinces. We have Quebec. This is a golden opportunity for the Bloc Québécois to build a strong Canada, a united Canada, an ambitious Canada, a prosperous Canada. We on this side of the House will always fight for a strong Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, we have always paid attention to the requests from members and our colleagues from the New Democrats. Like I said, we have a set of measures that were in place that met the moment to support our workers, and we will always be there for our workers. I know the member will keep—”
“Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for the member. She is a great member of the House. We have made the changes because they were necessary. We wanted to make sure we had tools in our tool box to make sure we can support workers. This was at the core of what we wanted: to make sure that we have a number of measures that we put in place to support workers. She knows that the government really cares, like she does, about workers, their families and their industry.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is true that we have attracted record levels of investment in renewable energy. We have attracted record investment in the EV sector to build a full battery supply chain. I think it was Bloomberg that even ranked Canada ahead of China for the resiliency of our battery ecosystem, so we are going to continue to invest. We have a number of investment stack credits that we have put forward to make sure we attract these investments. The member is right to say that the biggest challenge for humanity—”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell all Canadians how much I appreciate the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. I wanted to pronounce her riding name properly, and I apologize if I did not do that. She knows that I appreciate her and her questions. The member will know well that we want to invest in a number of forms of energy, including renewable energy. We want to invest in hydroelectricity, wind, solar, nuclear and SMR. We want to make Canada an energy superpower, and I think there are great lessons to be learned from British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba and many other provinces that have invested in hydroelectricity and other forms of renewable energy. We are going to learn from them. We are going to work with them. We are going to build—”
“Mr. Speaker, I believe in the oil and gas sector; it is a very important sector in our economy. It provides jobs for Canadians in many parts of our country. I am proud of the construction workers who are making our country strong, and we will—”
“Mr. Speaker, again, that is a moment of unity; we should seize it. When we have Canada coming together to build big things, we should be proud. We should really be proud to see premiers and the Prime Minister working together to build Canada strong. We are—”
“Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives will have a great opportunity. They can vote for Bill C-5 . I am sure people are anxious. There are people watching tonight. The member was wondering who is watching. Bill C-5 is—”
“Mr. Speaker, I have a sense that the member really feels that he should have been at the G7 meeting, because he would have seen the moment where Canada was on the world stage, leading in combatting financial crime. I will think about sending him an invitation next time, because he would really learn from these discussions.”
“Mr. Speaker, if the member is wondering who is watching me on TV, I can assure him my mother is. The other thing he would have seen is that the other G7 countries were proud to see Canada. I do not feel, because I know it is late for them, that the Conservatives are proud about Canada. We are leading the world. We are leading in combatting financial crime.”
“Mr. Speaker, I told the member we were not in some bike shop; we were in Banff, a great city in Canada. That is where we had the G7 meeting, and there were 175 accredited media. I am sure he saw me on TV and he watched the press conference. I know he is the kind of person who would watch the press conference to celebrate Canada's—”
“Mr. Speaker, I really feel that the member would have been very happy to be with us, because he would have seen Canada's leadership. He would have seen all our G7 colleagues watching us and thanking Canada for putting that on the agenda as the chair of the G7. We want to combat money—”
“Mr. Speaker, I know the member would have loved to be at the G7 finance ministers' meeting in Banff, because he would have seen Canada's financial call to action on money laundering. This was an initiative by Canada. He would have been proud. He would have been in the room and applauding when he saw Canada standing up to make sure that we are cracking down on financial—”