Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Surrey Newton.
I am proud to rise today on behalf of the people of Prescott—Russell—Cumberland to share my thoughts on the new budget tabled this week.
Prescott—Russell—Cumberland is a predominantly francophone rural riding that is woven tightly into the economic and social fabric of Canada's national capital region. The region is home to families of farmers, entrepreneurs, teachers and community workers. It is a region where people believe in the values of hard work, solidarity and kindness.
Budget 2025 provides a generational investment to make Canada and Prescott—Russell—Cumberland stronger, more sustainable and more resilient. This budget sets out $1 billion in investments over the next five years. I have been working hard to bring that investment to my riding and my community.
During my election campaign, I made sure the people of Prescott—Russell—Cumberland knew my priorities, including fighting against tariffs, supporting agriculture, SMES, industry and the francophonie, and treating people with dignity and inclusion.
Starting with tariffs, the effective U.S. tariff rate is now the highest it has been since the Great Depression in the 1930s. These tariffs are being applied to all countries and nearly all goods. I am proud to share that Canada has the best deal of any U.S. trading partner, with 85% of our trade being tariff-free. While some sectors remain deeply impacted, overall, Canadian exporters benefit from the lowest average U.S. tariff of any country, at 5.4%.
I am proud of the build communities strong fund, which will invest $51 billion over 10 years, followed by $3 billion per year ongoing, to revitalize local infrastructure, including hospitals, universities and colleges, and build the new roads and bridges we need to move our goods. We will also use these funds to build water and transit systems that sustain our towns, municipalities and communities.
Given the urgency of the moment, the government has also announced a series of new measures to protect workers and businesses in sectors most impacted by U.S. tariffs and trade disruptions. During this time of uncertainty, our government is supporting Canadian auto workers, agricultural producers, manufacturers and other workers who have felt the effects of trade tensions.
Over $25 billion has been announced in supports for workers and businesses. The government also expects $4.4 billion in tariff revenue. These measures will help give industries and workers the tools they need to build a more resilient Canadian economy.
On agriculture, over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to meet passionate farmers like Michel Dignard and Jeannette Mongeon, who have a farm together in Embrun, and families from the Gillette farm, which is also located in Embrun. These families have worked their land for generations. On my visits to these farms, they talked to me about sustainability, market access and the need to support the next generation of farmers. This budget recognizes these realities.
This budget invests over $639 million over five years to strengthen agriculture, including with increased compensation for producers through AgriStability, enhanced marketing supports and temporary increases to the advance payments program.
These measures will help our farmers cope with rising costs, adapt to global market shifts and continue to feed our communities and our world. These investments mean that farms like the Dignard-Mongeon family farm and the Gillette farm will be able to keep innovating, diversifying their products and passing on their knowledge to the next generation.
Supporting our local industries and small and medium-sized businesses, which are the backbone of our rural economy, is also at the heart of our plan. We can think of businesses like Dunrobin Distilleries in Vankleek Hill, Nonna's Gelato in Plantagenet or the Homestead Pub in Embrun, all of which I had the pleasure to visit this summer. They keep our small towns alive, fun and thriving.
That is why I welcome the new federal initiatives like the Strategic Response Fund, a $5-billion investment to help Canadian companies adapt, diversify, and grow. This includes $1 billion in the strategic innovation fund to support the steel industry's transition toward new lines of business and strengthening domestic supply chains.
In Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, I have been fighting for our steelworkers at Ivaco Rolling Mills in L'Orignal, which helps protect hundreds of local jobs. I have met with them regularly since the spring. I have also had the pleasure of meeting with IMI Manufacturing, also in L'Orignal, which produces metal structures, generator shelters and base tanks. It is a company that strives to be a leader in safety and quality.
In Hawkesbury, Tulmar Safety Systems is helping Canada reach our 5% NATO goals. With over 30 years of innovation, Tulmar designs, manufactures and services advanced safety solutions for land, air and sea applications, serving the defence, aviation and civil safety industries worldwide. It is companies like Tulmar Safety Systems that will deliver against the budget's investments into the Canadian Armed Forces.
The budget proposes $81.8 billion over five years, on a cash basis, starting in 2025, to rebuild, rearm and reinvest in the people who defend our country and keep us all safe. This includes over $9 billion in 2025 that was announced by the Prime Minister in June.
Canada's new government is on a mission to build Canada strong through major infrastructure projects, a modern defence industry and millions more homes.
Through the new buy Canadian policy, we are making government a force for nation-building, becoming our own best customer, protecting Canadian businesses and empowering our workers with high-paying careers that build prosperity here at home. The new buy Canadian policy is so important because it moves us from our best efforts to a real obligation to buy Canadian, ensuring that our public dollars support local jobs and local businesses right here at home.
This budget is about building resilience, not dependence, and about giving our companies the tools they need to compete and succeed in a changing world.
The francophonie is another key pillar in my riding. This week, I had the privilege of attending the welcoming francophone community of Hawkesbury's community forum to mark National Francophone Immigration Week. I met inspiring newcomers and families who have chosen to live, work, and raise their children in French. They enrich our communities and strengthen the social fabric of Canada and, most importantly, of Prescott—Russell—Cumberland.
Today, I am also thinking of our francophone community organizations, such as the Prescott and Russell chapter of the Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario, which works tirelessly to provide services, promote culture and support integration. That is why I am delighted that this budget supports our francophone institutions and invests in programs like Canadian Heritage's building communities through arts and heritage program, which provides support for festivals, cultural projects and the vitality of our regions.
Last week, I also met with passionate members of the Fédération des aînés francophones du Canada, which champions the rights and interests of seniors in minority situations to help them thrive in their own language and culture.
Of course, protecting CBC/Radio-Canada is part of that vision, with a $150‑million investment to modernize our public broadcaster and ensure that it provides high-quality programming in French and English. I also want to acknowledge the outstanding work of our local newspapers in Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, which are essential to democracy and to the vitality of our regions: Le Carillon, The Review, Vision, Tribune-Express, Reflet-News, Le Régional, TVC22 and others.
I am very proud of this budget's $38.4 million over three years, starting in 2026, to Canadian Heritage for the special measures for journalism component of the Canada periodical fund to help small and community news outlets continue producing quality Canadian editorial and journalistic content.