44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 28, 2023 10:00AM
- Nov/28/23 11:36:13 a.m.
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That is going into debate. I am going to let the Speaker make the ruling on the point of order with the elements that have been brought to his attention.
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Madam Speaker, it was rather funny to see my whip “whip” the House leader of the official opposition. What a thing to see.
First of all, defending an argument does not mean bullying someone; debating does not mean spreading disinformation; sharing political views is never to be done by pitting people against each other.
I say that because I get the impression that, more and more, the danger I have seen lurking in Canadian politics is becoming all too real. It is the use of polarizing strategies like we have seen in the United States. Far too often the purpose is to disinform and intimidate, strategies that replace reflection and democratic dialogue. I get the feeling that is what we are facing today with the Conservatives' motion.
Essentially, if people have watched the events of the last few days with Bill C‑234, what the Conservatives are saying is that not only are they not too shy to heckle, but they are moving a motion to show us that they will keep heckling and that is what they want to do.
I will not reiterate what my whip said earlier in her speech. Unfortunately, we all know that the leader of the official opposition and the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle posted some nasty tweets about two senators to encourage people to intimidate them. My colleague explained it in detail earlier. A Conservative senator had to apologize for saying ridiculous things. We know all that.
We are seeing more and more examples of the Conservatives' intimidation and disinformation strategy. It all seems to come down to one thing for the Conservatives: their fixation on the carbon tax. The Conservatives have a passionate love affair with oil, which makes the carbon tax a cardinal sin in their eyes. This is version one million of my opposition day carbon tax speech. This has got to be the millionth time I am giving a speech on this topic. It is the Conservative obsession. It is a constant.
Speaking of disinformation, In recent days and weeks, we have seen the Conservatives vigorously defend the notion that the carbon tax applies in Quebec, even during oral question period. There is no credible political player in Quebec who would say the carbon tax applies in Quebec.
Furthermore, during oral question period, I recall seeing the member for Bellechasse-Les Etchemins-Lévis, brandish a sheet of paper, insisting that the infamous carbon tax existed and that she had an invoice. Afterward, we clearly saw that the invoice referred to the Quebec carbon exchange. There are people in Quebec who would say this kind of behaviour is illegal. The oddest part is that the member for Bellechasse-Les Etchemins-Lévis was herself a minister in the Quebec government when the carbon exchange was implemented. This is part of the disinformation, much like the many false ads we have seen, that is, the carbon tax ads that often play in Quebec and that everyone ignores. This is part of this disinformation approach.
They scraped the bottom of the barrel this week, when the leader of the official opposition refused to clearly say, when he spoke of a terrorist attack, that he was likely citing one of his favourite media sources, Fox News. He accused CTV and scolded journalists, saying it was their fault, that CTV was confused, not him. He will not even admit to his own mistakes. Not to belabour the point, but let us recall the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement, where they used the carbon tax as an excuse, saying they voted against the agreement because of the carbon tax.
I believe this only proves that the leader of the official opposition—I will not be overly harsh—is not prime minister material. A good chief and leader usually brings out the best in others. They inspire people to excel and, most importantly, follow one of the basic tenets of politics, which is to never mix lies into political discourse—a truth that should apply to everyone—and to never get careless with the truth.
What we have been seeing for the past several weeks is a leader of the official opposition who plays fast and loose with the truth. Then, if anyone disagrees with him and resists his lies, he bullies them.
I will say it: People have talked to us about this. Alarm bells are ringing about how the member for Carleton operates, and those warnings are coming from none other than the Quebec Conservatives. Keep in mind that, during the Conservative leadership race, seven out of ten MPs from Quebec did not support Mr. Poilievre, sorry, the leader of the official opposition and MP for Carleton. Why did they not support him?
There were some rather puzzling quotes. I am talking, for one, about the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent. He said that Jean Charest, who was a candidate in that race, was likely the godfather of the Liberal family. He was even ordered to retract his statement. He also described Mr. Charest as one of the most corrupt politicians in Quebec. That said, he preferred to support Mr. Charest over Mr. Poilievre. One wonders why. I—
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- Nov/28/23 11:43:17 a.m.
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Can we avoid side conversations while members are giving their speeches?
Order, please. The hon. member for Jonquière.
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- Nov/28/23 11:43:17 a.m.
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I apologize, Madam Speaker. I am talking about the member for Carleton. Sometimes I get carried away and make mistakes.
Why did the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent make that decision? It is because he is well aware of how the member for Carleton operates.
The member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier was also very informative on this point. He said that, if the member for Carleton became the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, he would have some thinking to do.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Mr. Mario Simard: Madam Speaker, I am hearing some noise.
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- Nov/28/23 11:43:17 a.m.
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That would be the hon. member for Carleton.
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- Nov/28/23 11:43:35 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, before I heard the noise, I was saying that the member for Portneuf—Jacques‑Cartier stated that he would think long and hard about his future if the member for Carleton became the leader of his party. He said, “I will resign, or join another party in the House of Commons, or sit as an independent, or help form another party.” In other words, he was well aware of how the member for Carleton operates.
Here is another quote by my colleague for Portneuf—Jacques‑Cartier, who said, “I had a lot of respect for Stephen Harper as an economist, and I have a hard time understanding how he could support a candidate who wants to fire the Governor of the Bank of Canada and base the economy on Bitcoin.”
Here is a final revealing quote by the member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier. He said, “I have never seen such an aggressive race or such vicious personal attacks”.
That is why I say that even members of the Conservative Party from Quebec warned us about the Poilievre approach, which consists of two main elements, intimidation—
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- Nov/28/23 11:44:46 a.m.
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You used the member's name again. Members are not allowed to refer to other members by name in the House of Commons. It is a well-known rule.
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- Nov/28/23 11:44:58 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, we were told about the Carleton doctrine, which is based on intimidation and disinformation.
The same goes for Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais, who said that he was going to tear up his membership card, affirming that the Conservative Party of Canada was putting its entire future within the Canadian political landscape on the line in the last leadership race. He referred to Marine Le Pen's France and Donald Trump's United States, and then concluded by asking whether we really wanted to have this person, the member for Carleton, as prime minister.
To top it off, the member for Richmond—Arthabaska was the victim of a hateful campaign. Members will recall that he left the party after the leadership race. When he left the Conservative caucus, he was being bullied by his colleagues. They called his office and told people in his riding to do the same, to pressure him. People like the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles even personally contacted his constituents to suggest they demand his resignation—
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- Nov/28/23 11:46:19 a.m.
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I must interrupt. The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute‑Saint‑Charles is rising on a point of order.
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- Nov/28/23 11:46:22 a.m.
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I do not know what is the matter with the member for Jonquière today. He has a long list of smears. What he just said is totally false. I would like him to withdraw his words.
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- Nov/28/23 11:46:34 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would say to my friend that when the truth strikes a nerve it can sting sometimes, but it is for the best. It is better to tell the truth—
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- Nov/28/23 11:46:43 a.m.
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The hon. member says that the statement is incorrect so I will give the hon. member for Jonquière the chance to correct that.
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- Nov/28/23 11:46:53 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member for Richmond—Arthabaska said that he was the victim of intimidation, pure and simple, and that the member for Carleton is the one who came up with that tactic. I am quoting the member for Richmond—Arthabaska.
What I am saying is that the members from Quebec themselves know that the member for Carleton was using what we might call the Carleton approach. The members from Quebec themselves warned us that there was a danger, that there was cause for concern. Today we are seeing it become all too real.
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- Nov/28/23 11:47:29 a.m.
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The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles is rising on a point of order.
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- Nov/28/23 11:47:35 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, after all this smearing of Conservative MPs from Quebec, I would like to reiterate my point. I never did what the member for Jonquière is accusing me of, and I would like him to retract his accusation.
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- Nov/28/23 11:47:46 a.m.
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It is really not up to me to decide what is true and what is not. I will let the hon. member for Jonquière answer the member's request.
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- Nov/28/23 11:47:55 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I was referring to an article in which the member for Richmond—Arthabaska said that he had been the victim of what I would describe as rather unorthodox treatment. My aim was not to smear anyone. I simply stated the facts. It is a fact that Conservative MPs preferred to support Jean Charest in the leadership race. It is a fact that Conservative MPs said it was irrational to make Bitcoin Canada's currency. I was simply referring to—
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- Nov/28/23 11:48:31 a.m.
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This is a matter of debate. I was simply responding to the request of the hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.
The member for La Prairie wishes to speak on the same point of order.
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- Nov/28/23 11:48:44 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member rose in the House to say that my colleague from Jonquière is telling lies. What lies is he talking about? Can the member explain why they are lies? None of this makes sense. The member stood up and accused my colleague of telling lies. What lies? Can he prove that it was a lie? I think it is up to the person rising on a point of order to prove that.
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- Nov/28/23 11:49:08 a.m.
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Indeed, the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles will be able to demonstrate to the hon. member for Jonquière that what was alleged is not true.
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