Hon. Presiding Officer, esteemed colleagues, thank you.
Let me begin by congratulating the women and men here in this chamber who have been chosen to represent all the regions of Canada. All the energy and efforts you invested have given you this opportunity to represent the citizens of your constituency, to your credit.
I would also like to take this opportunity to offer my deepest condolences to the Speaker of the 42nd Parliament of Canada and to his family following the passing of his father, the hon. Gerald Regan.
I inherited my passion from my grandfather, Louis-Philippe-Antoine Bélanger, who was a member of the House of Commons in 1962. I am very honoured I was able to make this dream a reality by being elected in 2015 and re-elected for a second term this past October. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the citizens of the beautiful riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier for placing their trust in me.
We, the elected members of the House of Commons, have a great deal of passion. We have a great desire to help improve Canadians' lives and to leave a better world for future generations. As a father, that is very important to me.
In our group of elected members, there are just as many differences as there are similarities, both among individuals and the parties that we represent. Canada's democratic system makes it possible to welcome this diversity, and this system is the envy of many other countries.
The dictionary defines “democracy” as a system of government in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives. In his well-known Gettysburg address, American president Abraham Lincoln said that democracy is government “of the people, by the people, for the people”. The words ending this quote are the ones that we must never forget in our work: “for the people”.
Many issues will surely spark heated debate in the House. That is a sign of a healthy democracy. Therefore, bring on the debates—but let them be respectful and equitable. I have great regard for all my colleagues. I respect their commitment and their efforts. For my part, I pledge to respond promptly to members' needs by seeking effective solutions.
In the strategic plan for 2019-2022, the values of the House administration are defined as impartiality, excellence, accountability, our people and teamwork. These values mean a great deal to me.
There are several high-quality people here today looking to sit in the Speaker's chair, so why choose me? To be a Speaker of the House and someone who meets the highest standards of our institution, one needs to have the qualities of a mediator and be able to listen; show respect, judgment and leadership; be open-minded and loyal; have integrity; and on occasion, deal with things with humour.
I sincerely believe that I am fully qualified to become speaker. I will draw on my vast experience working as director of sales for a private television station; creating my trade relations business, AJC Communication; serving as a municipal councillor; serving as a policy adviser in a provincial minister's office; and sitting on numerous boards for organizations such as the Children's Wish Foundation and Laval University's Rouge et Or, not to mention my many years coaching all kinds of sports.
As well, in the name of fairness, here is something to consider before you make your final choice. The official languages of Canada are English and French. The last time the duties of the Speaker of this House were given to a francophone born in Quebec goes back to more than 65 years ago. It would only be fair to elect a Speaker born in a Lower Canada province, in this case Quebec, and one who speaks French. It would be an honour for me to receive the support of the members of the House.
I sincerely thank you for your attention and consideration.
I wish everyone a good 43rd Parliament.