44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 27, 2023 10:00AM
- Apr/27/23 10:20:40 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I have a fairly simple question for my colleague.
Throughout my time in the House, so over the past three or four years, I have been hearing the government voice its concern about the French issue and say that it is very important to protect minority languages in Quebec and Canada.
Yesterday, the government presented its action plan for official languages 2023-2028. This is important. The plan includes investments totalling $4 billion over the next 5 years. However, $800 million, or 20% of these funds, will go to anglophones living in Quebec.
I just want to point out that even the government admits that Quebec anglophones are not under threat. English is not under threat in Quebec. In Canada and North America, English is the majority language.
Why is the government sending $800 million to anglophones in Quebec when they are not under threat?
147 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a good day for languages in our country. Many stakeholder groups gave statements that they were incredibly thrilled that this government has put forward funding to protect our two official languages throughout Canada. It is more than any government has ever given before. It is double what used to be put in.
It was a good day for Canada. It was a good day for French in Quebec and a good day for English in Quebec, too. That is the beauty of Canada. We respect both languages equally. We want to protect French, and that is why the government is making investments. Bill C-13 is another example of our government modernizing things to make sure that French is protected in our country.
127 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 10:52:01 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I will not use any props as I ask my hon. colleague a question.
I know that it is not all fun and games here in the House, but things do get done. One of the things that gets me down is when members exaggerate.
The government announced $31.2 billion as part of the national housing strategy. That was in the previous budgets. This funding will be available until 2028. There is a measure in the strategy to assist people in urgent need of housing, such as victims of violence.
Instead of repeating misinformation, could this well-known member from Quebec occasionally admit that progress is being made? It is not always easy, but progress is being made. A lot of progress was made with the national housing strategy.
133 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 10:54:17 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member for Longueuil—Saint‑Hubert on his spirited speech. In my province of British Columbia, the birth rate continues to decline, just like in Quebec.
Would more births in Quebec help fix the language crisis? How can we encourage Quebeckers to have more babies?
51 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 10:54:47 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, encouraging Quebeckers to have more babies is a trap. They will not have more babies. Let us be honest, people in the west are not having babies. One way or another, we need to encourage francophone immigration to address the language crisis throughout Canada and Quebec. It is extremely important. People are not having babies.
Unfortunately, in Quebec, society is anglicizing naturally. This is happening naturally. I talked about it in my speech earlier. We need a substantial francophone immigration policy because there is not going to be another baby boom, unfortunately.
94 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 10:56:14 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it needs to be said: We always get the impression that the NDP is in the wrong Parliament. There is a party in Quebec called Québec Solidaire that is proposing this type of measure. It is working out quite well because when we talk about dental care, that is part of Quebec's responsibility for health care.
Obviously, I am not against dental care, because it is extremely important. What we keep saying is that Ottawa does not run any hospitals, it does not pay for any doctors and it does not train any nurses. It does not have the authority to talk about these jurisdictions. If it wants to create dental care programs, the government should send money to the provinces, and the provinces will take care of it.
134 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague stated, we keep repeating the same thing, but, there is no mention of regional flights in Bill C‑47.
Regional flights are out of reach. There has been a considerable increase in the price of fuel, and the price of flights continues to increase. Bill C‑47 would significantly increase the air travel security charge for both international and regional flights.
I want to talk about airports. When talking about regional flights, we must first talk about regional airports, and I would like to talk about the Val‑D'Or airport in particular. We have been asking for money for this airport, but have had no response from the minister. We keep repeating the same thing.
This airport is important for aviation safety. It is a hub for northern Quebec, and keeping it operating smoothly is actually a matter of life or death. There is nothing for the regions in this budget.
162 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 2:03:40 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark the 25th anniversary of Petit Théâtre du Nord, a veritable institution of the performing arts in the Lower Laurentians.
Founded in a garage in Mirabel in 1998, Petit Théâtre du Nord moved first to the Blainville community centre, and then to its permanent home at the Centre de création de Boisbriand, a beautifully renovated old church. The little theatre company has certainly come a long way.
Year after year, this theatre company has stood out for its entertaining, accessible and professional programming, focused on showcasing up-and-coming Quebec playwrights and actors.
I congratulate the entire Petit Théâtre team on 25 years of laughter and entertainment. I congratulate Luc Bourgeois, Sébastien Gauthier and Mélanie St-Laurent, the artistic directors and founders of Petit Théâtre du Nord, on their wonderfully successful venture. I wish them a happy 25th anniversary and, especially, a great summer season.
172 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 2:16:06 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, May 1 is International Workers' Day, a day that will be marked in Quebec by rallies that will focus on inflation.
Too many workers cannot make ends meet because inflation is driving up expenses but not wages. May 1 is the time to remember the struggles of the working class and the many gains painfully earned through lengthy struggles. These victories should not be taken for granted.
We should keep in mind that federal workers who are on strike or locked out can still be replaced by scabs, as we are currently seeing at the Port of Quebec. We should keep in mind that, because of the federal government, 60% of those who lose their jobs cannot rely on employment insurance. We should keep in mind that 150,000 people are on strike right now and the the Prime Minister is ducking the issue.
On May 1, let us keep in mind that the struggle continues and that solidarity remains the key to victory. I wish everyone a happy May 1.
177 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 2:25:06 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, what we need to do is bring home more control over our resources so it is in the hands of Canadians, rather than ship our jobs overseas, as the Prime Minister has been doing for eight years. We can do that by getting rid of the gatekeepers to quickly build natural gas liquefaction facilities; by getting rid of the gatekeepers so we can have tidal power developed, which is clean and green, in Atlantic Canada; by getting rid of the gatekeepers to build more hydroelectric dams in Quebec; and finally by blocking this foreign takeover by an unethical overseas company.
Will the Prime Minister finally bring it home for Canada and block this takeover?
116 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
Mr. Speaker, Bill C‑13 acknowledges that French is under threat in Quebec.
However, the Liberals introduced an action plan yesterday that gives Quebec $140 million per year to promote English. That is $700 million over five years for English in Quebec and nothing, or a few crumbs, for French.
Today, Quebeckers are wondering if the federal government has some statistics to prove that English is under threat in Quebec. If not, why are the Liberals funding English in Quebec when it is French—
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 2:41:55 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a historic day for this country's official languages.
The action plan makes a historic $4.1-million investment to support our official language minority communities and reverse the decline of French across the country, including in Quebec.
The funding we announced yesterday does not include funding for English in Quebec. On the contrary, we are funding the vitality of Quebec's English-speaking community with French courses and the help these people need to find jobs.
Once again, yesterday was a good day.
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 2:42:40 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, that is some logic.
The Quebec government official said, “I have not yet seen in the plan any measures that are consistent with the declaration of [the] Prime Minister...namely that French in Quebec is threatened”.
In other words, there is nothing in there for French in Quebec, but there is $700 million for English. If French is threatened in Quebec and not English, then why not use this $700 million for French at work, for promoting French?
84 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 2:43:18 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, again, yesterday, we announced and unveiled a truly historic action plan with $4.1 million to protect and promote our official language minority communities and reverse the decline of French in Quebec and across Canada.
We are not funding English in Quebec. On the contrary, we are supporting the vitality of English-speaking communities with employment assistance services and French as a second language programs.
We will always be there to support our communities and we will do everything we can to reverse the decline of French in the country.
93 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals acknowledge that French in Quebec is under threat; it is even in Bill C‑13. That is nice, but they have not changed a single thing in the federal strategy for promoting English in Quebec.
Despite their lofty words, their action plan for official languages 2023-2028 is basically crumbs for French in Quebec and $700 million for English.
What will have more impact, the rhetoric or $700 million invested directly in the anglicization of Quebec?
84 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 2:44:54 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is quite the opposite.
With our investment in official languages, we are doing everything we can to protect and promote French across the country, including in Quebec, as well as to support our official language minority communities.
Yesterday, we unveiled a plan. We had conversations with thousands of Canadians across the country. They told us about their priorities: francophone immigration, continued investment in education, support for organizations on the ground, and assurance that the government is showing leadership.
That is exactly what we are doing with our bill and our action plan.
96 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 4:00:34 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, the member referenced the health accord quite a bit and the Canada health transfer, and mentioned that the government should demonstrate in some way that this funding will be enough. Well, it is $198 billion in new funding over 10 years, and it includes $46.2 billion in new funding for the provinces and territories.
One of the ways something like this can be demonstrated is by the Province of Quebec signing agreements. The Province of Quebec entered into negotiations with the federal government and agreed to this transfer of funds. The Premier of Quebec has come out in statements commending the government on providing these transfers, just like with the new funding for official languages and many other investments that have been made in the province of Quebec.
What would the member say about the province's support?
141 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 4:01:40 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I think that my colleague and I see history differently.
The Quebec government was hoping for $6 billion in recurring funding every year to rebuild its network. It got barely $1 billion. Then the Minister of Health had the nerve to claw back $42 million.
Given that, the correct answer is not complicated. The Quebec government had no choice. It had to either accept the $1 billion, one-sixth of what it needed, or it would get nothing at all.
86 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 4:02:32 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I agree with the member about the structural investments we need in these budgets, and that is why I am happy to say the NDP has solidified structural investments in dental care. I am also proud to say that the NDP is putting in place structural benefits for child care, which Quebec has benefited from for over 25 years. I commend it on that.
I want to ask the member specifically about dental care. Does he support at least that part of the budget? The second piece is the red dress alert. Does the member support that?
99 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/27/23 4:03:12 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, with respect to dental care, the program got off to a very poor start. The government rushed to get it up and running.
Quebec asked for the right to opt out with full compensation so that it could actually use that money to improve its own program. The Canada Revenue Agency showed that the project was off to a bad start, because there was no way to confirm whether the $650 given to people was being used appropriately.
When it comes to health care, we cannot afford to waste any money anywhere. That is my answer.
98 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
