House of Commons photo

Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was quebec.

Last in Parliament September 2021, as Conservative MP for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis (Québec)

Won his last election, in 2019, with 50% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Business of Supply December 1st, 2020

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my colleague from British Columbia, the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo.

I would have liked to ask the Liberal minister a question. We are in the midst of a pandemic, and it is true that the environment we live in is disrupted. I would like to show that the government can do more than transfer funds. It can also take action to help the provinces. It could have done that.

Today, we are here to debate a motion moved by the Bloc Québécois. The first three points highlight the work of health care workers and the courage and sacrifices required from them.

As a parliamentarian, I can only add my voice to those of all parliamentarians. I am sure I speak for us all when I say that we are proud of the work that is being done in our hospitals. I visited the Lévis Hôtel-Dieu hospital over the weekend. I was also able to see the security staff who come into contact with the virus on a daily basis but still continue to do their job. That presents significant human challenges.

I am thinking about my financial advisor, whose wife works with the Sisters of Charity of Quebec, where there is another outbreak in Quebec City. She herself was affected and is therefore in quarantine. I am also thinking about the people working in seniors' residences like the Résidence le Royal, in Saint-Anselme.

It is demanding enough to work in an environment where a lot of basic care is provided without the added challenge of constraints. I commend all these people. We have a great deal of admiration for them. We hope that Christmas will give them a bit of a break even though that is also a busy time for them.

From the outset, I would like to say to my colleagues in the Bloc and those watching us that I am proud to have been part of a government that improved health transfers even during an economic recession.

Let's be clear. We think that the federal government has a major role to play to support the provinces in their efforts to maintain their health care system. That is why we are in favour of the motion moved by the Bloc Québécois. The federal government needs to continue to provide the provinces with significant, long-term health transfers.

We appreciate what is being done, but as I mentioned at the top of my speech, these are strange times. What is most important now is for the government to say when Canadians will have access to the vaccines, and this is something we ask the government about every chance we get.

It is important. We are still in the second wave. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the holiday season. This is important for Canadians and for businesses. For example, our restaurants are shut down. The tourism sector needs a glimmer of hope and a timeline. Right now, we are totally in the dark.

The government will not give us any hints. All we know is that it has reserved a very large number of vaccines. There are enough doses to vaccinate almost every body part. The problem is that we do not know when that will happen. This is what we are humbly asking the government on behalf of Canadians.

Can the government tell us when we can expect vaccines to be distributed in Canada?

It would be important to know because people are waiting for life to get back to normal. Meanwhile, there are the much talked about rapid tests. The faster people know if they are carriers, the better it is for everyone. Right now, people do not know whether or not they have the virus, whether a family member has it, whether they have been in contact with it or whether they are carriers. They want to know. In this case as well, we have seen a lot of delays in deploying rapid testing.

We have pointed out that in some countries, rapid testing has been available for ages. As for the vaccine, as we know, some countries, like Mexico, already have access to it. We are happy for our Mexican partners, with whom we have trade agreements. However, we would also like to have access to the vaccine, like the Americans and many European countries, along with hundreds of millions of people around the world. We believe that Canadians deserve access to the vaccine.

It is clear that the Liberals need to make a special effort with regard to rapid tests and PPE.

Unfortunately, the government did the opposite. It threw out supplies or sent them abroad at the beginning of the pandemic. We find that deplorable.

What is more, I represent Bellechasse, and I am thinking about the hospital that was located in the municipality of Armagh. When the Liberals wanted to balance the budget, they made cuts to health transfers. I would like to remind members that we, the Conservatives, increased health transfers and that we balanced the budget during the economic recession.

Unfortunately, the Liberals seem to have a lot of work to do on their financial plan before they will be able to balance the budget without once again dumping the problems on the provinces, as they did in the area of health care by cutting transfers. We are still living with the consequences of those cuts today. Armagh no longer has a hospital because of the Liberal cuts.

What is the consequence of that? Yesterday, the Liberals presented their economic update and, this morning, the newspapers published very large deficit numbers. That deficit will need to be repaid when the orgy of spending is finally over.

In the past, we have seen the Liberals cut provincial health transfers, and yesterday, we got confirmation of a tax hike. The government is going to start taxing digital services. The government has spent so much that it is wondering how it is going to balance the budget. Considering that it provided no fiscal anchors, no plan to fight the pandemic, and no plan to manage public finances, it does not seem all that worried.

The government came up with plans for sustainable development and the environment. There are two sides to the sustainable development coin, however: the economy and the environment. Both need to be managed sustainably. Right now, the government seems to be driving us straight into a wall, and that is alarming. Even if the government votes in favour of the motion we are debating today, it is unlikely to be able to honour any kind of commitment because of the perilous financial path it is on.

It is important to remember that Canada currently has the highest unemployment rate in the G7 and is the only country that does not have an economic recovery plan. That is important because in order to support our health care system and social transfers, we need to get our economy back on track, something we have no sign of at this time. Why are we in this situation? This question is troubling because, basically, the Liberals could have taken action to alleviate the pressure on the health care system. The best investment that one can make is the money one does not spend.

One of the responsibilities of the federal government is to protect the border. At the beginning of the year, the Conservatives started telling the government that there was a problem in China. Unfortunately, the government allowed 50,000 people from China to enter Canada, and we know what happened: The virus spread. On top of that, the government did not communicate properly with customs officials, which meant that people were allowed to leave the country in the spring and come back later, with the impact this had, especially on the Quebec health care system. While all this mismanagement might not relate to health directly, it all has an impact on health.

As I mentioned earlier, 16 tonnes of essential equipment was sent to China at the beginning of the pandemic. A few months later, we were scrambling to find masks. Now we all wear masks, and there are even some beautifully designed ones available. We have plenty of masks now, but it would have been helpful to have them from day one since we know they are effective.

In closing, we will support the motion. However, since this is an emergency situation, we are asking the government to tell us today when we will have the vaccines. We are also asking the government to help the provinces provide rapid testing and, in particular, to help our provinces manage long-term care facilities. We are asking the government to play its federal role and support the health care system, which means setting fiscal anchors. On that, we look forward to seeing the Liberal government set the record straight.

Official Languages November 30th, 2020

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are using their white paper on official languages to buy time until the next election. Meanwhile, they are holding communities hostage.

The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne and the Quebec Community Groups Network want this.

Will the Liberals stop playing politics and introduce a bill to modernize the Official Languages Act before Christmas?

Status of the French Language in Montreal November 25th, 2020

Madam Chair, I commend my colleague for his passion for the French language.

I also commend my colleague from Acadia who reminded us that René Lévesque was born in his neck of the woods.

Before I ask my question, I want to tell my colleague and the people watching us that I am pleased that this work is being done. There was a debate this evening, but the Standing Committee on Official Languages will focus on the decline of French in Quebec and across the country starting next week. I am pleased to have worked with the hon. member from the Bloc Québécois on this initiative. We will continue to work to advance linguistic duality in Canada.

The hon. member talked about the decline of French's appeal in Montreal. I would like him to explain to me how French can be made more attractive in order to maintain this duality at the heart of Canada's francophone engine.

Status of the French Language in Montreal November 25th, 2020

Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for his speech.

He mentioned the challenges facing the anglophone minority community in Montreal.

Does my colleague agree with the organization that represents that community, the Quebec Community Groups Network? He is very familiar with organizations that defend minority communities in Quebec. Does he agree with me, and more importantly with that organization, that a plan to modernize the Official Languages Act must be introduced this year, rather than a white paper?

Also, does my colleague agree that French is in decline in Montreal?

Status of the French Language in Montreal November 25th, 2020

Madam Chair, we support applying the Charter of the French Language to federal bodies and we also want people applying for citizenship in Quebec to have a knowledge of French. We have concrete measures that will modernize the Official Languages Act, and we will continue take concrete action to support the vitality of linguistic communities. We could bring in a bit of culture and music as well.

Status of the French Language in Montreal November 25th, 2020

Madam Chair, I thank my colleague and riding neighbour for his question. I also thank him for his outstanding contribution to the Standing Committee on Official Languages. In fact, he is one of the longest serving members of the committee. He has travelled the country and defended those communities.

Indeed, the Conservative Party communicated this in writing and verbally to the committee. Also, a motion was adopted yesterday calling on the government to introduce its bill before Christmas so that we can concretely support the vitality of linguistic communities across the country.

Status of the French Language in Montreal November 25th, 2020

Madam Chair, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. Like many people, I admire his mastery of the French language.

I want to tell him that I had the opportunity to visit Saint-Boniface. The first time I was there I was not even an MP. I felt like I was in Saint-Hyacinthe. I could sense the vitality of the language and the impact it was having on Winnipeg's development. Today, that has become a real asset. It is absolutely the government's role to do that.

What is new is that the federal government needs to be aware that, to maintain linguistic vitality, we need to promote and protect English and French, including French in Quebec. Quebec is joining minority language communities across the country. It has become a new large minority community.

Status of the French Language in Montreal November 25th, 2020

Madam Chair, basically I can tell my colleague that we are in favour of applying the Charter of the French Language to federally regulated businesses. I can also tell her that we are in favour of adequate knowledge of French for candidates who want to obtain Canadian citizenship in Quebec. These are two firm commitments that we want to put forward.

We have also submitted solid recommendations for modernizing the Official Languages Act. These are five elements for ensuring that across the country, not just in Quebec, linguistic minority communities and the anglophone community can continue to move forward to maintain our linguistic vitality and linguistic duality which, as I was saying, is an integral part of our Canadian identity.

Status of the French Language in Montreal November 25th, 2020

Madam Chair, I thank the minister for her question.

Her question is interesting, because the minister has the ability to support post-secondary institutions across the country. It is the role of the federal government to assist institutions, and this role is entrenched in the current act. Campus Saint-Jean was founded by the Oblates and is truly an important beacon for the French language across western Canada. The minister has the ability to take action.

We know that the provincial governments are currently facing significant challenges because of the pandemic. We expect the government to fulfill its leadership role and support the communities, as we did when we were in office.

Status of the French Language in Montreal November 25th, 2020

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure and privilege of participating in this debate on the status of the French language, in particular in Quebec.

I am moved by all of the speeches I have heard and by a warmth in the House that is radiating all the way here, in Lévis. I applaud my colleagues for that.

This evening, I will try to speak a little more slowly than normal, because I was not able to get my speech to the interpreters. Essentially, my message is that our linguistic duality is an asset, a part of the Canadian identity. Of course, language and culture go hand in hand.

This evening, we have seen this culture shine. Members have been naming artists and all kinds of cultural events. This is all part of and helps shape our Canadian identity, and Canadians recognize that it is an integral part of our identity.

We are currently facing the challenge of maintaining that duality. The French language, one of our two linguistic engines is facing some significant challenges. The decline of the French language affects our linguistic duality and goes to the very heart of our Canadian identity, which is why this debate is so important.

Members mentioned the roadmaps implemented by former minister Stéphane Dion. Stephen Harper's Conservative government worked with the former premier of New Brunswick, Bernard Lord, to create two roadmaps to promote and strengthen official language minority communities.

I heard my colleague from Lévis—Lotbinière mention the Stephen Harper government's contribution to the promotion of linguistic duality, and that reminded me of a story. I was in Mexico with Mr. Harper, President Barack Obama and the former Mexican president, Mr. Peña Nieto. As always, Mr. Harper made a point of starting his speeches in French. Some U.S. networks even cut him off because they thought it was a foreign language. At the time, Mr. Obama just said that he agreed with everything Mr. Harper had said in French. Clearly, it is an effective diplomatic language.

Canada's linguistic duality has deep roots. It is said that French is the country's founding language. René Arseneault reminded us that the Acadians were there. The first French governors spoke French. Then the English made a contribution, and it is because of that pact that, today, we have a Canadian community that is open to the world and that also includes indigenous communities. At the core of this Canadian pact is the backbone of our identity and language, namely English and French. That is the challenge that we are facing today.

Others have faced this challenge before us when the Official Languages Act was enacted 50 years ago. My colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent mentioned that a Conservative government modernized this legislation in 1988. For the first time, the act stipulated that English and French were to be promoted. That aspect of the act has been neglected, which is why it has become urgent that we modernize the Official Languages Act.

The situation has become urgent for two reasons. First, unfortunately, we are seeing a decline in French in Quebec and all our communities. Without wanting to be too negative, the number of people who use French in communities across Canada dropped dramatically between 2006 and 2016. French is seriously declining across the country. We have seen it recently in Quebec, particularly in Montreal. We are talking about an even more rapid decline in French there.

For example, demographer Marc Termote told us that we are in a downward spiral, a vicious circle of sorts, where English is thriving and French is declining. Our country's francophone foundation needs some repairs, a helping hand. This expert even said that there has been a drop in the number of people who speak French at home.

We are facing many challenges when it comes to the language, whether it is the spoken language, language of work, language of instruction or language of signage.

I see some colleagues who are on the Standing Committee on Official Languages taking part in the debate this evening. We agreed to address this. This evening we are having a take-note debate that I would say is just scratching the surface. There is a lot of work to be done. At the same time, the urgent need to take action is emerging. Groups and minorities across the country are calling for this. For instance, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne, the FCFA, is telling us to do something. We are in a minority government situation. The president of the FCFA, Mr. Johnson, said:

We fear that if the government does not introduce a bill by the end of 2020, the two chambers of Parliament will not have enough time to adopt the changes that our communities have wanted for decades.

It is therefore important and urgent to take action, especially because work has been done by the Standing Committee on Official Languages and the FCFA. Recommendations have been made, and the work is done. This country is ripe for new legislation. We still have a few weeks ahead of us.

I have been listening to the presentations given by our government colleagues. They are saying that they want to take action and that they have plans. Now is the time to act, to make sure the laws are put in place. We are asking the government to act and to introduce its bill to modernize the Official Languages Act today, for two reasons.

First, all communities have been calling for it for decades, as Mr. Johnson said. It is a commitment, a will and a promise made by the party. It is also because several demographers, such as Frédéric Lacroix, are telling us that the situation is “catastrophic”. This is the reason for tonight's debate. It is therefore time to take action, and there is a real need to act. The goal is really to take action.

My colleague from Victoriaville brought forward some concrete proposals to give the act some teeth. It is worth noting that the Official Languages Act is a quasi-constitutional law, which gives it primacy. That is why it is important that this act transcend the various departments and that it remain very close to the Treasury Board, in order to influence the entire federal bureaucracy, but also to explore new fields and become a partner in supporting the vitality of the French language in Quebec.

In any case, it has been a nice evening, and this is a constructive debate. It is interesting to hear the contribution and personal journey of each member in the House. My own family name is of Irish origin. This is proof that Quebec has the ability to integrate linguistic communities. My father married a Breton woman, and I am very proud of my fluency in French. I would say that I speak French quite a bit better than English.

I will close with that, and I look forward to my colleagues' questions.