Joël Godin
Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, Quebec · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the police officer's family. Two in five Canadians are struggling to put food on the table, food banks are breaking records and workers are being forced to live in their trailers when that is all they can afford.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has been in power for 11 years and it is still coming up with plans and conducting analyses. Meanwhile, Canadians are desperate.”
“Mr. Speaker, that is another meaningless answer. It is lost. The Liberals think they have control of everything, but they should be serving the people instead of using them.”
“Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate to hear what we just heard. It is rather pathetic to be rejoicing about the fact that the government has to give Canadians money so that they can afford to eat. Canada is the only G20 country that is in a recession. The Liberals have a long list of excuses.”
“Madam Speaker, a full week has already been wasted. We learned last Friday that Canada is in a recession. The Liberals insist on burying their heads in the sand. They are playing word games. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said yesterday that the Liberal government has a 1% chance of meeting its fiscal anchors.”
“Mr. Speaker, a recession is a concept created by economists. They are the ones who set the criteria. Canada is the only G7 country or, pardon me, the only G20 country that is in a recession. I am not making this up; it is a fact. Instead of finding solutions, the Liberals are casting around for a diversion.”
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“Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has been in power for 11 years and it is still coming up with plans and conducting analyses. Meanwhile, Canadians are desperate. While 2.2 million Canadians are being forced to turn to food banks, 38% are experiencing food insecurity and families are spending more than 120% of their income on housing and groceries, the Liberals are continuing with their inflationary spending. Why is the Prime Minister refusing to admit that his policies created this cost of living crisis?”
“Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the police officer's family. Two in five Canadians are struggling to put food on the table, food banks are breaking records and workers are being forced to live in their trailers when that is all they can afford. However, the Prime Minister is continuing with the extravagant spending and the inflationary policies that have plunged Canada into a recession. It is the only G20 country in a recession. Why does the Prime Minister refuse to admit that his decisions are hurting Canadian families?”
“Mr. Speaker, that is another meaningless answer. It is lost. The Liberals think they have control of everything, but they should be serving the people instead of using them. After 11 years of this Liberal government and the passage of Bill C-83 in 2019, we are seeing the consequences in our prisons: increased violence, staff shortages, repeated inmate-on-inmate assaults and multiple murders. Donnacona's correctional officers have called for concrete tools. When will the Liberal government fix its mistakes and restore safety in our prisons?”
“Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate to hear what we just heard. It is rather pathetic to be rejoicing about the fact that the government has to give Canadians money so that they can afford to eat. Canada is the only G20 country that is in a recession. The Liberals have a long list of excuses. Meanwhile, seniors are being forced to cut back on groceries. Families are being forced to make big sacrifices to make ends meet. The Liberals need to admit that what they are doing is not working. They need to quickly find solutions to stop this decline. That said, they need to start by admitting that we are in recession.”
“Madam Speaker, a full week has already been wasted. We learned last Friday that Canada is in a recession. The Liberals insist on burying their heads in the sand. They are playing word games. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said yesterday that the Liberal government has a 1% chance of meeting its fiscal anchors. That means it has a 99% chance of failing economically. Will the Liberal government stop burying its head in the sand and admit that our country is in a recession?”
“Mr. Speaker, it is all well and good to create a diversion. The Liberals are experts at that. We are in a recession. Only the Liberals fail to see that. They make excuses. The President of the United States is being blamed for a lot of things. The so-called saviour of the Canadian economy, our Prime Minister , should be coming up with solutions, because his plan is not working. Will this Prime Minister accept the situation and admit that our country is in a recession?”
“Mr. Speaker, a recession is a concept created by economists. They are the ones who set the criteria. Canada is the only G7 country or, pardon me, the only G20 country that is in a recession. I am not making this up; it is a fact. Instead of finding solutions, the Liberals are casting around for a diversion. When the government cannot acknowledge that there is a problem, it cannot find solutions. Will the Prime Minister be honest and tell Canadians that Canada is in a recession?”
“Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my colleague, we are not pleased. We want the Liberal government, which has been in power for 11 years, to take meaningful action to ensure that Canadians have a better quality of life. Our seniors have to skip meals just to put food on the table. Our children have to give up their dream of owning a home. Last year, this same Prime Minister asked young people to make sacrifices. Obviously the Prime Minister has to eat, but could he show a little more judgment? There is a huge difference between baloney and caviar. Will the Liberal Prime Minister—”
“Mr. Speaker, this morning, we learned that Canada is the only G7 country that is in a recession. What is more, according to one report, more than 50% of workers say that the cost of living has gone up. The Prime Minister told young Canadians that they would have to make sacrifices, and yet he is recklessly using the national credit card to pay for luxury inflight meals, while 2.2 million Canadians are relying on food banks to put food on the table. Why is this Liberal Prime Minister asking Canadians to tighten their belts while he and his friends are treating themselves to lavish meals on the dime of hard-working Canadians?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are out of touch, which is unfortunate. The member should have listened to my question. I will ask another one. There was a global energy crisis in 2014. The price of a barrel of oil was $100, but the price at the pump was only $1.34 a litre. That was during the Harper era. Today, the price of a barrel of oil is the same, but gas costs 40¢ more per litre. That is the result of Liberal policies. Will the Liberal Prime Minister take the bull by the horns and implement measures to help Canadians make ends meet?”
“Mr. Speaker, I met with many constituents of Portneuf—Jacques‑Cartier over the past few weeks, and it is glaringly obvious that the cost of living has become unaffordable. Seniors and young people are paying dearly for the effects of this Liberal government. For 10 years, the Liberals have tried program after program. Nothing has worked. Alarm bells should be ringing now that people are being forced to dip into their savings just to put food on the table. When is the Liberal Prime Minister going to stop recklessly wasting money on Canadians' credit card and start making life more affordable for Canadians?”
“Wow, Mr. Speaker. Canada's prosperity depends on the high-speed rail project and our young people will be the ones to benefit from it, but in the meantime, we have a problem. They are living in poverty and struggling to make ends meet. The fact of the matter is that Canadians are struggling because the cost of living is too high and the Liberals are continuing to impoverish law-abiding taxpayers. Let us not be fooled. The deficit has risen exponentially on this Liberal Prime Minister 's watch. Will he finally admit that these half measures on the fuel tax are not enough? Why is this Liberal Prime Minister more interested in protecting his tax revenue than in—”
“Mr. Speaker, our young people need hope for the future. The Liberals seem to think that everything is fine and there is nothing wrong with the cost of living, but what I hear in Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier is that everything costs more. Taxes are higher, debt is rising and we are maxing out the national credit card. The deficit is huge: $1 trillion since the Liberals took office. When will this costly Liberal Prime Minister stop spending recklessly and mortgaging our young people's future?”
“As the parent of two young adults, Charles-Antoine and Ann-Frédérique, who are just as much a source of pride to me as my little Éloïse, I hope that we can help our young people feel secure once again. Let us believe in their abilities. They have a right to their dreams.”
“Mr. Speaker, as the end of the school year approaches, I am delighted to address all the graduates in my riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier. I offer my heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of them. Their tenacity and determination have helped them reach this important milestone. The future belongs to them, and I hope it will be a happy and promising one. A responsible government must keep our country's spending in check and reduce the deficit so that our young people can feel secure. I assure them of my commitment, as part of the official opposition, to work every day on behalf of our youth. On a personal note, I would also like to add that I am now a proud grandfather. I have had the immense joy of welcoming little Éloïse into the family; she is the apple of her parents' and her grandfather's eyes.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague is living in a world of make-believe. One day, the Liberal government will have to wake up and realize that ordinary Canadians are getting crushed by the cost of living. What is more, the seniors who built this country are struggling in their retirement. Our seniors aged 65 and over deserve the utmost respect. Will the Prime Minister stop strutting about on the international stage and running up the deficit and finally show seniors some respect by giving them hope?”
“Mr. Speaker, it is common practice here in the House to ensure that there is an agreement between the whips when documents are to be distributed. That is the first thing. Second, we are in a country with two official languages, English and French. Unfortunately, to my great surprise as an MP, I found two documents on my desk this morning that were in English only. These documents were distributed by a Liberal member. Is this standard practice for the Liberal Party or was it an oversight? Could the Speaker tell whoever distributed the documents to comply with the obligation to respect both official languages next time?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are pleased with themselves for putting 10 cents back in Canadians' pockets, but it could have been 25 cents if they had listened to the Conservatives. The government is once again using temporary programs to pull the wool over people's eyes. The reality is that Canadians are still paying too much for gas. Will my colleague finally admit that these half measures on the fuel tax make little difference at the pump? Can he explain why exactly he would rather protect his tax revenue by pocketing billions of dollars at the expense of Canadian families and workers?”
“Mr. Speaker, to hear them talk, everything is fine and Canadians have pockets full of cash. While Canadians are facing a steady rise in the cost of living, particularly at the pump, the Liberal government is once again content with half measures when it comes to lowering gas taxes. Can the government explain why it is refusing to provide significant tax relief to struggling families, workers and businesses? When will the government stop favouring symbolic measures over meaningful action to help Canadian families and workers?”
“Mr. Speaker, with prices at the pump skyrocketing and the Liberal government raking in billions of extra dollars thanks to rising oil prices, how much more time does the Prime Minister need to think before he acts, while Canadians bear the costs? Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. Why will he not act now and suspend the federal taxes on gas and diesel? Will the Liberal Prime Minister finally adopt our Conservative plan to axe these taxes and save Canadian families hundreds of dollars at the pump between now and—”
“Mr. Speaker, I would encourage my colleague to live in the present, not the past. Canadians are struggling in the current economic situation. I went to help distribute food assistance at the Centre Femmes de Portneuf. The volunteers are caring and generous, but they are at the end of their rope. Demand is up, but there is less food available to distribute to people from all walks of life with basic needs. Here is a quick and easy solution: suspend the excise tax on fuel and the GST on gasoline and diesel. Will the Liberal Prime Minister take the necessary steps now, regardless of past measures, to provide immediate relief to Canadian families?”
“Mr. Speaker, I heard my colleague say that we are in the best position in the G7. Since January 1, our economy has shed 100,000 jobs. Today alone, that figure has risen by another 1,000. We have the highest food inflation rates and the only declining economy in the G7. We have a very high unemployment rate and the highest level of household debt. That is because of the Liberals. Canadians are worried and they are struggling. When will the Liberals take action by scrapping excessive taxes and red tape so that Canadians can finally live better lives?”
“Let us therefore continue to speak French, work in French and promote our language with pride today, tomorrow and every day.”
“Mr. Speaker, French remains fragile, whether in culture, sports or our daily lives. Friday, March 20, was the International Day of La Francophonie, an important time to celebrate the richness, vitality and diversity of the French language around the world. Although I am a little late in rising to acknowledge it today, the message remains the same: La Francophonie is about more than just a one-day to celebration. We need to live in French and defend the French language every day. In francophone communities across Canada, French is much more than a means of communication. It is a source of identity and pride. We must take concrete, consistent and sincere steps to protect and promote French and foster its growth throughout the country. French language and culture are a valued legacy, but they are also a shared responsibility.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have to recognize that there are issues with immigration. Honest citizens are being deported while people who abuse the system are being given shortcuts: eighty-six bogus asylum seekers remain in Canada; 33,000 are still wanted by the Canada Border Services Agency; and 25,000 asylum seekers have been admitted without any screenings or checks. That is not acceptable. Is the Prime Minister going to make the necessary decisions?”
“Mr. Speaker, I believe that you have a responsibility to protect the rights of all MPs here in the House of Commons. During question period, I saw my colleague, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources , make gestures to one of my colleagues that I will not repeat. I invite you to watch the video, or I would ask my colleague to apologize right now.”
“Mr. Speaker, I encourage the Liberal government to go talk with Canadians and find out just how much they are suffering because of the cost of living. The Minister of Finance promised to stabilize food prices three years ago, but his plan has not worked. Food inflation in Canada has reached an all-time high, twice as high as in the United States. They need to stop trying to pull the wool over people's eyes. Here is the Conservatives' solution: the affordability plan. Will the Liberal government support it and finally do something to help Canadians?”
“Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise at the end of this session to table a petition. The numerous signatories are calling on the Minister of Fisheries to take action on striped bass. I think it is important to note that striped bass used to be a protected species, but now they are plentiful, and that is creating problems for the ecosystem. We are asking the minister to take swift action so as not to cause further problems for other species and to make this opportunity available to fishermen.”
“First and foremost, volunteering is about doing good for others, but it is also about enriching oneself as a person, making friends and giving meaning to one's commitment. I would like to thank all those who work in community organizations. They are indispensable. I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy 2026—”
“Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to pay tribute to the community organizations in Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, as well as to the women and men who keep them running day after day. Whether it is food aid, helping one another or support for families, culture, sports or the most vulnerable, their work is key to a vibrant and united community. Often, we find it is the same people supporting various organizations, the same people who are always there. They are immensely generous with their time, energy and hearts. Our organizations are vital. They break the isolation and make a real difference in people's lives. I would like to take this opportunity to call on the next generation to get involved.”
“Mr. Speaker, speaking of hypocrisy, the Liberals have been putting programs in place for 10 years, but nothing is working. In my riding, I toured 17 food banks, 17 organizations that do things like prepare Christmas hampers. Everyone involved with these organizations talked to me about the rising demand. What the government is doing is unacceptable. The Prime Minister needs to come down from his ivory tower, get out there and stop imposing inflationary taxes.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is unbelievable that this member was picked to be the new Minister responsible for Official Languages . This morning, this member repeated that he is fed up with defending the decline of French. I have news for him. We in the Conservative Party of Canada will fight for francophones across Canada. Even the Premier of Quebec is saying that it is shameful that this person was appointed as the Minister responsible for Official Languages. Is the new Quebec lieutenant also fed up with debating the decline of French, as his colleague, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, says he is?”
“Congratulations to the FCFA for 50 years of commitment to advancing the francophonie, since it is important and vital to maintain the distinct character of our country, namely French-English bilingualism. I would like to thank everyone who keeps our French language alive every day. Let us keep fighting.”
“Mr. Speaker, today we are celebrating a milestone. We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, or the FCFA. Our communities came together to ensure they had national representation. Hundreds of men and women continue to stand up for francophones, their rights and their interests across Canada. The FCFA supports cultural vitality and helps to build resilient, proud and deeply committed communities. This half-century reminds us of everything the FCFA has accomplished, but also of what remains to be done. Together let us continue to protect, advance and promote Canada's francophonie for future generations.”
“Mr. Speaker, the $78‑billion deficit budget is dangerous. The Liberals have maxed out Canada's credit card. We are being warned by experts, including Fitch Ratings, which gives government credit ratings. They are saying to be careful because there is a high risk of making Canada's financial crisis worse. Even the Parliamentary Budget Officer, an impartial officer of the House of Commons, says that this government is putting Canada's AAA rating at risk. Who can make the Prime Minister listen to reason so that he will change his ways and stop spending so recklessly?”
“Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of sitting on the Standing Committee on Official Languages with my colleague from Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge. It is indeed a reality that people are suffering. People are suffering in our communities. As I mentioned in my speech, I made a few donations. As everyone knows, MPs have a small budget for sponsorships. Last week, I walked around with my sign and helped 17 charities. I gave them a little money so that they can give out more Christmas hampers this year. It is bad. Meanwhile, my Liberal colleague from Spadina—Harbourfront is talking about lifelines. Canada is not a developing country. Should we be proud? Can we respect the people of our country, Canada, Canadians? It is the least we can do. The Liberals should go out into the streets to see what the everyday reality of Canadians looks like.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Alfred-Pellan, but I obviously do not share his opinion. Personally, I would rather do business with someone who is capable of managing a personal budget, a family budget, than with someone who is selling Canada to the global elite. I am concerned that the Prime Minister and the Liberals are selling out Canada. Meanwhile, average Canadians are suffering.”
“Mr. Speaker, these are the kinds of things that the Liberals do not see because they are out of touch. Can we focus on what is happening here in people's daily lives, including in the Gaspé, as my colleague mentioned? Can we deal with this quasi essential service instead of going around the world looking for investments? Investments are fine, but we also need to take care of our constituents so that they can work, travel, and put food on the table. I completely agree with my colleague.”
“We moved an amendment to stop Liberal waste and to give Canadians some breathing room to live. When I am asked questions later, I will have more information to share.”
“The headline states that more than one in four Canadians are going into debt to eat. It is not nasty Conservatives saying it; it is Sylvain Charlebois, who is an expert. We are told to rely on experts and not just our opinions. That is what we are doing. The members opposite are fixated on one idea: that everyone is against them, everyone is wrong and they are right. However, more than a quarter of Canadians are going into debt to eat. Last week, we were in our ridings. I visited 17 organizations in my riding, including the Mouvement d'entraide des Cantons-Unis in Stoneham‑et‑Tewkesbury, S.O.S Accueil in Saint‑Raymond and several St. Vincent de Paul locations. They all told me that demand has gone up. This budget does not actually do anything for Canadians. People are now struggling to put food on the table. We need to act responsibly.”
“We asked for his schedule and his training plan. He said he would improve and that, at the end of his term, he would score a 9 out of 10, as someone who has learned and speaks French. We recently received the schedule in question from the Prime Minister's Office. We saw that 10 hours of classes were scheduled over a three-month period. Let us just say that this does not show much of an interest in mastering French. I will concede that learning a language is not easy. Still, according to the letter from the Prime Minister's chief of staff, as of September 2, sadly the Prime Minister no longer has a French teacher. I would remind members that today is November 20. I will come back to the budget because time is short and I wanted to bring up an article that appeared this morning in Le Journal de Québec.”
“When the Prime Minister named his first cabinet after being appointed Prime Minister without being elected, he appointed all the ministers in his cabinet, but he forgot to appoint a minister of official languages. The term “minister of official languages” does not seem to be in the current Prime Minister's vocabulary. To correct his mistake, as I mentioned earlier, he appointed a Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, who is also responsible for official languages, among other things. Should all ministers' titles include a definition of their responsibilities? This shows that the Prime Minister is not serious about official languages. Following a Radio-Canada article, we spoke up at the Standing Committee on Official Languages to point out that the Prime Minister spoke French only 17% of the time. We requested documents.”
“Today is November 20, 2025. When there is a new act or the modernization of an act, there are regulations to implement that act. Unfortunately, we have been waiting since June 20, 2023, for the regulations to be tabled. That is textbook Liberal hypocrisy. Liberals boast that they are the protectors of the French language and of both official languages but they do not walk the talk. Let us stop with the razzle-dazzle. That is what they are doing with the budget. I will continue. As I mentioned earlier, this new Liberal Prime Minister replaced a Liberal prime minister. There was no power disruption. The Liberal Party of Canada is still in power.”
“During question period today, when the Speaker gave the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture the floor, she did not include the part about him being the minister responsible for official languages. That may be a minor detail, but it is not insignificant. When it comes to official languages, I would like to remind the House that it was the Liberals who appointed the current Governor General, who does not speak French. I have nothing against the Governor General or her character, but Canada is a bilingual country, English and French. She was appointed by a Liberal government. The Liberals then appointed the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, Canada's only bilingual province, and they chose a unilingual anglophone. (1550) Bill C‑13 , which sought to modernize the Official Languages Act, received royal assent on June 20, 2023.”
“What have we learned about next year's program? To make themselves look good, they are going to increase the number of jobs but reduce the number of weeks. That is the Liberal government. It is not a new Liberal government; it is the Liberal government that has been in power for 10 years. The Liberals' way of doing things reminds me of what they are doing right now at the Standing Committee on Official Languages. I am privileged to serve the Conservative Party of Canada, the official opposition, as the official languages critic. Over here, we have someone responsible for official languages. Over there, they have a Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture who is responsible for official languages and a number of other things. I will say more about that later. It is not quite the same.”
“I get that it is not the same as a Canadian family's budget. The Liberals came to power in 2015, the year I was elected to represent the beautiful riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, which I will not claim is the most beautiful riding, even though I think it is. The prime minister at that time, Justin Trudeau, said that the government would run a small deficit and then return to a balanced budget. We have accumulated decifits of nearly $1.4 trillion over the past 10 years. It bears repeating that the total accumulated deficit since the Liberal government of Pierre Elliott Trudeau was first elected has nearly doubled. However, the government likes to claim that this is a wonderful budget. Here is an example of this Liberal hypocrisy. The Canada summer jobs program supports approximately 100,000 summer jobs.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Langley Township—Fraser Heights . I appreciate that he is sharing his time with me. His French is excellent. I had the opportunity to visit him in his riding, where I received an award from the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique. It was a proud moment for me, and my colleague was there. Today, I rise to speak to Bill C‑15 , an act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025 . The first thing I would like to say is that the current Liberal government, which claims to be new but has actually been in power for 10 years with essentially the same team, revealed a deficit of nearly $80 billion—$78 billion to be precise. In addition to this year's $78-billion deficit, the budget makes no provision for returning to a balanced budget.”
“Mr. Speaker, I hope you will show me the same generosity. The current Liberal government is the most costly in the history of Canada. Every dollar spent by the Prime Minister comes directly out of Canadians' pockets. Everything costs more: groceries, housing and heating. The much-talked-about industrial carbon tax increases farmers' production costs. Do members know what farmers do? They produce the food that we put on our tables. There is nothing in the budget to give Canadians a bit of breathing room. Why is the Prime Minister increasing the industrial carbon tax, which is driving up the price of groceries?”
“Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Liberals tabled a budget with a deficit of close to $80 billion. Yes, everyone heard me correctly: a deficit of $80 billion. That is a huge amount and everything is going to cost more. There is nothing new in this budget. The Liberals had the chance to lower the cost of food by eliminating the industrial carbon tax in their budget, but what did they do instead? They increased that tax and they are not doing anything to counter food inflation. Will the Prime Minister stop breaking his promises and finally control his inflationary spending?”
“Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government has been taking Canadians for a ride for 10 years now. The Liberals hold the record for the largest annual deficit. They shattered that record by doubling the accumulated deficit of all governments over the past 50 years. What is the direct impact on Canadians' wallets? Things cost more. The Liberals should stop saying that they are putting more money in people's pockets. Will the Prime Minister keep his promise and ensure that the deficit does not exceed $42 billion, which will give Canadians some breathing room? The answer is a simple yes or no.”