SoVote

Mr. Denis Trudel (Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, BQ)

Feb/8/22 4:11:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have been listening to the debate, and something is bothering me, specifically the rather jovial unanimous agreement we have reached to rescue Saskatchewan, which wants to keep the $341 million. I cannot help but compare this to more acrimonious debates. When it comes time to help Saskatchewan, to amend the Constitution to help a western Canadian province, everyone is on board, everyone is pleased, everyone is happy. When it comes time to help Quebec, however, which would like to amend the part of the Constitution that concerns it, things get more complicated. We saw this in the spring, when the Bloc Québécois introduced a motion seeking recognition for Quebec as a nation with only one official language, French. Nine Liberal members abstained; they had better things to do. They went for a walk or a smoke, but they did not vote. Does my colleague not think that we have a double standard?

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Context: House Hansard - 26 - Feb/8/22

Mr. Denis Trudel (Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, BQ)

Feb/8/22 8:35:47 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am pleased to participate in this evening's debate. My colleague is right. We are currently in the midst of a terrible crisis. However, I do not agree with her that it is a federal responsibility. The opioid crisis is a mental health issue. Mental health to me means health, and health is a provincial jurisdiction. Every day, young people, people on the streets of Longueuil, would like to see psychologists, but they cannot because psychologists are underfunded and there are none. Does my colleague agree that health transfers should be increased? That would make it possible to increase mental health services for those who want them, to provide better working conditions for nurses, to foster hiring, and to provide support for people struggling with addiction. Health transfers must be increased. That is an inescapable fact. Ottawa has the money, and health is a provincial jurisdiction. The federal government must transfer the money.

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Context: House Hansard - 26 - Feb/8/22

Mr. Denis Trudel (Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, BQ)

Feb/8/22 9:37:35 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, this has been a very moving evening, but I am worried that those feelings will not translate into solutions. Earlier we talked about health. In my opinion, this is clearly a mental health problem. It calls for an increase in health transfers to the provinces. Every solution starts there. Earlier we talked about housing. Investments in social housing have been lacking for 30 years. The link between opioids and homelessness is quite clear, but bricks and mortar are not enough. For 30 years, Quebec has been developing a social and community approach to homelessness that has proven to be effective and that is even envied across Canada. It takes money to pay stakeholders to support people who might be having drug problems. Once these individuals find housing, they need support so that they do not end up back in the drug trade two or three months later. It takes psychological support, but someone has to pay for it. It takes investments in health and housing, as well as comprehensive and community support to combat homelessness. I think these are good solutions.

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Context: House Hansard - 26 - Feb/8/22

Mr. Denis Trudel (Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, BQ)

Feb/8/22 9:57:51 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, a homelessness initiative was started in my riding during the pandemic. A whole lot of these resources have emerged in Quebec and across the country. The pandemic has taken a toll. What we are hearing tonight is that the pandemic has had major consequences in terms of mental health and opioid use. I think that cases have doubled in all provinces across the country. Some people have succumbed. They lost their job and started using. There is a homelessness initiative in my riding. Although there was a little funding during the pandemic to support these people and these kinds of resources, that well has dried up. The government has not made any announcements about what will happen at the end of March. Organizations are waiting to pay people and keep the resource open. Does my colleague agree that the government should extend funding for homelessness beyond March 31?

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Context: House Hansard - 26 - Feb/8/22

Mr. Denis Trudel (Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, BQ)

Feb/8/22 10:20:57 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. We have talked about a lot of things this evening. For me, there are four takeaways: diversion; increased health transfers because health care is under provincial jurisdiction; increased investment in social housing because the federal government has neglected it for 30 years; and long-term investments to fight homelessness. Which of those four ideas does my colleague think we should prioritize in tackling this crisis?

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