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Mrs. Julie Vignola (Beauport—Limoilou, BQ)

May/8/24 2:15:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to once again praise the people of Beauport—Limoilou for their solidarity and their love for arts and culture. Tomorrow, these two themes will coalesce around Jean‑François Girard, the man behind Limoilou en Vrac and the organizer of Limoilou en Musique. Wherever there is talk of arts and culture, we can be sure that Jean‑François is not far away. Tomorrow, the opening event for Limoilou en Musique will be the shaved head challenge in solidarity with Jean‑François, who has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. We stand together with him. We all have someone in our lives who has faced or is currently facing cancer. The people on my list include Jean‑François, my dad, my aunts Rosalyne, Marie‑Lourdes and Nathalie, my uncles Francis and Ghislain, and my friends Carolane, Luc, Kirsty and Patricia. Everyone has a list of people that they can think of. Everyone needs to support research and local organizations as Beauport—Limoilou is doing. In solidarity with Jean‑François, in chorus and in music, we shall overcome.

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Mr. Luc Berthold (Mégantic—L'Érable, CPC)

May/8/24 2:17:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, can anyone here imagine a country where young couples, 24 and 26 years old, are forced to leave their apartment and move back in with their parents in the hope of one day becoming homeowners? Can anyone here imagine a country where the housing crisis has become one of the main causes of stress among psychiatric patients? Can anyone here imagine a country where a woman is thinking about living in a minivan because she cannot find an affordable place to live? Can anyone here imagine a country where renters are contacting housing advocacy groups and expressing serious suicidal thoughts because they are not only desperate, but they see no way out and want to give up? Unfortunately, that country is Canada, as described in the papers day after day, after nine years of this Liberal Prime Minister. With $500 billion in inflationary spending, supported by the Bloc Québécois, this Prime Minister has created the worst inflation crisis in 40 years. The crisis caused the interest rates to go up, made home ownership an unattainable dream, doubled the cost of housing and will force thousands of people out into the street. Canada was not like that before this Prime Minister, who is not worth the cost, and, fortunately, it will not be like that anymore once the next Conservative government brings back common sense.

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Mr. Eric Duncan (Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, CPC)

May/8/24 2:18:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the Prime Minister is not worth the crime, chaos, drugs or disorder. His disastrous decision to legalize hard drugs in public in British Columbia has failed miserably. Some have called his judgment nothing short of wacko. Let us be clear: It is wacko to have parents searching fields before their kids play sports or to allow meth or crack to be smoked in a hospital as doctors and nurses try to do their job. It is wacko that it took two weeks for the Prime Minister to reverse course. The most wacko of all this is the fact that the Prime Minister will still not rule out expanding this crazy experiment to Toronto and Montreal, where it would inflict the same chaos we have seen in B.C. There was a time when someone said there was a “small fringe minority” in Canada, talking about apparently radical and wacko views. It turns out it is alive and well: It is today's Liberal Party and the Prime Minister.

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Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Sherbrooke, Lib.)

May/8/24 2:19:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Mélanie Noël, a writer from Sherbrooke, was recently named the Eastern Townships artist of the year by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. Following a distinguished career as a journalist, during which she won the prestigious Prix Judith-Jasmin, Mélanie is now employing her talents as an author and lyricist. Her three books present poetic, sensitive and touching tales that spark the imagination through the magic of her writing, while her lyrics can be found on three albums that won Félix awards at the ADISQ gala. For her, writing is a way to express love, and anyone who allows themselves to be carried away by her stories is sure to fall under her spell. As a mother, a romantic and an adventurer, she finds inspiration in life's little pleasures. Mélanie's work will continue to move and influence many people. I applaud her for the impact she makes through her words.

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Mrs. Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, NDP)

May/8/24 2:20:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Sunday was Red Dress Day, a day to raise awareness of, remember and honour missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people. It is vital that we hold these people in our hearts and minds. More than that, it is important that we, as legislators, work to implement the calls for justice from the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The homicide rate among indigenous women and girls is still six times higher than that of their non-indigenous counterparts. A year ago, members of this Parliament unanimously supported a motion declaring the deaths and disappearances of indigenous women and girls a Canada-wide emergency. The recent partnership between the federal government and Manitoba, to implement a red dress alert pilot program notifying the public of missing indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and gender-diverse people, is an important step. However, we must do more to end gender-based violence against indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse individuals. There should be no more stolen sisters.

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Mrs. Claude DeBellefeuille (Salaberry—Suroît, BQ)

May/8/24 2:21:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, history buffs will recall that on the night of May 7, 1944, in the midst of World War II, the frigate HMCS Valleyfield was torpedoed by a German ship, resulting in the deaths of 125 crew members. In a plot worthy of a Hollywood film, the frigate Valleyfield was carrying a top-secret decoder that enabled the allies to send each other secure, strategic messages. The whole saga is being researched, shared and publicized by an outstanding Salaberry—Suroît resident, Navy Lieutenant Pierre Lefebvre. His passion for naval history led him to have a major monument erected in honour of the frigate Valleyfield in 2000 and to reunite survivors of the attack for the occasion. Mr. Lefebvre also founded the 329 Valleyfield sea cadet corps. On the eve of his retirement from the armed forces after 46 years of service, I salute Mr. Lefebvre for his remembrance efforts and thank him for his involvement in the community.

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Mrs. Rachael Thomas (Lethbridge, CPC)

May/8/24 2:23:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is not worth the cost; neither is the CBC. Under the leadership of the CEO, Catherine Tait, viewership, trust and revenue are all down. Despite this abysmal performance, the Liberal government has rewarded Ms. Tait by extending her contract and granting another $60,000 bonus. That is more than most Canadians make in an entire year. Another $15 million was handed over to the executives as more bonus money. After this, the CEO had the nerve to come to committee and claim that the CBC is chronically underfunded. She then announced that she would be cutting 800 jobs. Then, just weeks ago, the Prime Minister announced that he would be giving $140 million more to the same failed institution. This means that now the CEO can continue to give herself and the top executives big fat bonuses. Greed and incompetence are exactly what is dragging this organization down. Common-sense Conservatives are calling on the Liberal government to instruct the CBC to stop awarding themselves big fat bonuses.

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Mr. Taleeb Noormohamed (Vancouver Granville, Lib.)

May/8/24 2:24:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, May 3 commemorated World Press Freedom Day, a day when we celebrate journalists for the work that they do and the risks they take to keep us informed. They pay a high price, with attacks by groups from authoritarian regimes to criminal enterprises. Journalists risk life and limb pursuing truth. This year, the price was high. It was the deadliest year on record, with 115 journalists dead in conflict zones. They worked with the word “press” emblazoned on their flak jackets, sharing stories that we need to hear. Hundreds more languished in jail. As the Leader of the Opposition and others, as we have just heard, boast about putting “for sale” signs on the CBC, many around the world are putting up gravestones instead. It is a short trip from rhetorical attacks on the press to actual violence. As journalists perish in jails and newsrooms dim their lights, truth and fiction become harder and harder to distinguish. I am proud to be part of a government that stands with journalists, champions facts over misinformation and reinforces the democratic values we hold dear.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

May/8/24 2:25:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have a common-sense plan: axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. Still, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost. He has doubled our national debt only to double the cost of housing, or triple it in Montreal, to be honest. As the end of the month draws near, Quebeckers are worrying about paying the rent. Will the Prime Minister finally reverse his inflationary policies, which are putting Quebeckers at risk of losing their houses or apartments?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

May/8/24 2:26:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, instead of stirring up anxiety with misinformation, the member should give Canadians the true facts. The fact is that Canada's fiscal position is the strongest of the G7 countries. We have the highest credit rating of almost any country in the world. We are investing responsibly to ensure that we are putting the government's assets in the service of Canadians and their interests. Our investment in housing is based on a highly comprehensive plan to create housing for all generations.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

May/8/24 2:26:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, is he seriously accusing me of causing Quebeckers anxiety? It is like he is saying that Quebeckers would never have noticed that their rent has doubled if I had not mentioned it. Does he think Quebeckers cannot read numbers? He says the economy is not about numbers, but rents are numbers. The prices we pay when we buy food at the grocery store are numbers. Will he finally look at the numbers and see that he is not worth the cost?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

May/8/24 2:27:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for months, years even, we have heard the Conservatives say that our policies of investing in Canadians are the reason Canadians are facing challenges. On the contrary, Canada has the strongest fiscal position in the G7. We are investing and using that strong position to help families who are struggling. These investments in housing, dental care, senior care and child care are all investments that help Canadians and put the government in service of Canadians.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

May/8/24 2:28:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost after nine years. He has doubled the debt and doubled housing costs. He has increased spending by nearly 80%. What did we get for the money? We got the worst per person income growth in the entire G7 and the worst mortgage debt of all those countries. When will the Prime Minister realize that the more he spends, the worse things get?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

May/8/24 2:28:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have been talking down the economy for a long time now, without understanding that Canada actually has the strongest macroeconomic performance in the G7. Our perspective is to put that solid footing of the Government of Canada in service of Canadians by investing in housing, by investing in dental care, by investing in child care and by investing in the supports that Canadians need in this difficult time. His solution is for governments to invest less in Canadians, for ideological reasons, and to be there less for people when they need it most.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

May/8/24 2:29:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is more proof that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. He tells Canadians they have never had it so good. He doubled the debt, doubled housing costs and forced two million people to a food bank. He brags that he spent $87 billion on housing programs, and what did it get us? It got us the worst housing inflation of any country in the G7, the second worst out of nearly 40 OECD countries. Why does the Prime Minister always spend the most to achieve the worst?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

May/8/24 2:30:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians will take no lessons from a former housing minister who was in a government that did not believe in investing in housing. Obviously, over decades, the federal government underinvested in housing, and it has led to the challenges we are facing now. That is why we are putting and have been putting, in service for Canadians since 2017, the solid fiscal position of the federal government to invest in Canadians, to invest in communities, to invest in housing and to help solve the challenge people are facing around the world. We are solving it despite—

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The Speaker

May/8/24 2:30:47 p.m.
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The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

May/8/24 2:30:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is absolutely right that we did not waste the billions of dollars that he has now put into his programs, but here are the results. The average rent for a one bedroom when I was the housing minister was $973, and we built 80,000 apartment units at that low rate. Now the cost has more than doubled. Meanwhile, Stats Canada reports that incomes are down $17,000 per family. Why are Canadians making $17,000 less to pay double the price for a home?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

May/8/24 2:31:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, here is the question Canadians should be asking the Leader of the Opposition. Given that Canada has one of the strongest economic balance sheets in the G7 right now in a country-to-country comparison, should we invest in supporting Canadians and creating housing with that solid balance sheet, or should we, as the Conservative leader is proposing, cut programs, reduce investment and do less for Canadians? We should be putting the strong fiscal position of the government in service of Canadians. That is what we are doing. That is what the Conservative leader opposes.

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Mr. Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly, BQ)

May/8/24 2:32:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister seemed to endorse the vulgar slurs used by his MP, who made what I will call the “M-word” famous in the French-speaking world. It is all a bit of a distraction, however, because the real issue is actually the issue of funding for francophone universities. In order for us to move on from this and avoid getting tarred as foul-mouthed barbarians, could the Prime Minister ask the member to resign as chair of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie and to apologize to our partners throughout the Francophonie?

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