Debates of May 29th, 2025

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, first, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the people of Mississauga—Lakeshore for entrusting me with the honour of representing them here in Parliament. My wife, Zenny, and I are very grateful for their trust. Our community reflects the best of Canada: diverse, innovative, hard-working and compassionate. I am proud to be the voice of our community members in this chamber, and I want to thank all of them, including a wonderful team of volunteers who were there during the campaign.

It is with humility and a profound sense of duty that I rise in the House to speak about our priorities for Canada in response to the Speech from the Throne by His Royal Highness King Charles III. The speech sets out an ambitious and hopeful vision for Canada that reflects the values we share and the future we want to build together. It is a vision that aligns closely with the priorities I have consistently championed and wish to reaffirm today. They include a strong economy, robust social programs, national unity and a respected voice for Canada on the global stage.

Since 2007, when I was first elected as a member of provincial Parliament, I have stood for these Canadian values. We overcome challenges when we work together. I delivered six comprehensive budgets that brought our province from the depths of the recession to a balanced book, and we achieved 1.1 million net new jobs and raised our province's credit rating. We built prosperity by working together with industry, small business and all levels of government. These achievements were grounded in clear principles: to borrow wisely at low rates to promote capital and investment, to promote prosperity and not to borrow to cover day-to-day operating expenses.

Growing up in Kensington Market, I learned this first-hand from my father, a merchant who became Canada's first Portuguese Canadian business owner. He taught me to borrow strategically to make money, to spend less than we make to live and to keep back some for retirement. These values of fiscal discipline, smart investment and long-term planning are essential not only for personal financial health but also for responsible government.

We should borrow to invest in infrastructure and not to pay for operating expenses; we should invest more and spend less. These values are reflected in the Prime Minister's approach to fiscal prudence. By investing and attracting foreign direct investments, we grow our economy with a purpose: to sustain the social programs that matter to most Canadians, such as universal health care, retirement security and public education; and to protect our environment as an economic imperative.

During my previous mandate in the Ontario legislature, we navigated through global uncertainty and delicate relations with foreign trading partners with prudence and purpose. Our steady hand ensured that Canada emerged from the global financial crisis into one of the strongest fiscal positions in the G7. We also helped to expand the Canada pension plan to ensure that future generations of retirees can live with dignity.

I saw first-hand how internal trade barriers undermine success. With our commitment to creating one Canadian economy from 13, we would help unlock Canada's full economic potential and build a stronger country. This would enable us to move forward with national child care, dental care and pharmacare, strengthening our health care and making landmark investments in housing and affordability. All of this is underpinned by an unshakable belief in the Canadian values of compassion, fairness, fiscal responsibility and opportunity for all.

The Speech from the Throne outlined a renewed and forward-looking agenda. It speaks to building a fairer and more resilient economy in which everyone can succeed. I am encouraged to see this new government embrace a vision grounded in putting more money back in Canadians' pockets so that they can invest more in their communities, in protecting the environment through market-driven solutions and in reinforcing our position on the world stage as a principled, engaged nation.

The Speech from the Throne reinforced that the government is laser-focused on lowering costs and will continue to present serious solutions to ensure that Canadians are better off. By cutting taxes for hard-working Canadians, eliminating the GST on first-time homebuyers and removing consumer carbon pricing, we are making life more affordable for every generation. The emphasis on long-term planning beyond election cycles is the blueprint to building a country that serves everyone.

As we eliminate consumer carbon pricing, I reflect on being part of a government that introduced cap and trade to Ontario, exempting that province from the federal carbon pricing backstop at the time. We implemented incentive-based measures to drive behavioural change, including grants for electric vehicles, home energy retrofits and other green initiatives. We took bold steps to decarbonize, including with the closure of the Lakeview coal generating plant, known as the Four Sisters in my riding of Mississauga—Lakeshore. It transformed this site into a revitalized waterfront and created new public spaces. What was once the nation's largest polluter, contributing to over 36 smog days a year, is now a symbol of conservation, clean energy and community renewal. The work was not just environmental; it was economic. By advancing clean technologies, the site is now home to sustainable district energy systems, at the forefront in the Great Lakes and a leader in climate innovation.

More can be done. Unlocking the potential of our critical minerals and clean energy resources is essential, not only to drive the Canadian economy, but to protect our sovereignty in an ever-changing geopolitical situation. We must not allow others to divide us or exploit the wealth that lies beneath our land. Instead, we must lead with purpose, unity and vision.

As we look to the future, we look to nation building. I was proud to have played a role in advancing the co-operative capital markets securities regulation, modernizing our fragmented security system from 10 jurisdictions to one. That was nation building.

More needs to be done to strengthen our national competitiveness while embracing the unique strengths in each region, from the small cap in British Columbia to natural resources in Alberta to fisheries in the Maritimes to energy in Quebec. In the north, we must ensure that the development of mineral rights is grounded in meaningful consultations and true partnership with indigenous communities.

The world is also looking to Canada as peacekeepers and defenders of justice, where the rule of law prevails. My parents came to Canada from postwar Europe, fleeing fascist regimes and an oppressive dictatorship. They quite literally sought freedom and opportunity. Canada embodies those values.

What we heard in the throne speech reiterated why my parents immigrated to this country so many years ago: Canada has what the world needs and the values the world respects. It is our duty to protect a just society and a free democracy, one where peaceful protest is possible and individual rights are upheld. This commitment includes standing with our allies, like NATO, to ensure peace and security at home and abroad. We must always remain vigilant in protecting our country and the principles that we stand for.

To conclude, the path forward is not without challenges, but the direction is clear. The throne speech charts a new course that is ambitious and achievable. We know that the economy is only truly strong when it serves everyone. The bold plan outlined will build the strongest economy in the G7. As His Majesty said, we will ensure that we do not just survive ongoing trade wars, but emerge from them stronger than ever. Canadians can be assured that this new government will protect our social programs, strengthen Canadian culture and identity, create better jobs and make life more affordable for them.

To my constituents in Mississauga—Lakeshore, I will continue to work every day to advance their interests and uphold the values we hold dear. Together, we will build a stronger, fairer and more united Canada.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, let me welcome my new colleague to the House of Commons. It is always great to have one's first speech the first time one is in the House of Commons. I apologize; I did not recognize the member. I thought it was the twin brother of the member who held that seat before him, who said exactly the opposite things in the previous Parliament, which ran this country up to a $1.3-trillion debt, with $56 billion per year in interest payments on debt alone. One would think that something changed overnight in the thinking of those in the bench on the other side.

My question for the member is very pointed. In this new accounting system his Prime Minister has come up with about putting in a different silo for infrastructure and capital assets and a different silo for operating expenses, how much more or less in debt and how much more or less in debt interest payments will the Government of Canada be paying?

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. We are trying to ensure that we balance the operating budget. We have done that. I did that for six budgets during my time when I was the minister of finance for the Province of Ontario. We balanced the books. We took advantage of low-cost interest to invest in infrastructure projects. We incited foreign direct investment and partnerships with the private sector, to enable some of those infrastructure programs to occur and grow the economy. That is how we were able not only to receive more funding and more receipts and more revenue, but also to control spending effectively by being more competitive as we went forward. That is how we balanced it, and I believe that is exactly how we should move forward in this Parliament as well.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is talking about the economy. Yesterday, the Quebec National Assembly unanimously adopted a motion reminding Via Rail that regional routes are at the heart of its mandate, that the Matapédia to Gaspé link is absolutely essential and calling on Via Rail to restore passenger rail service as soon as the railway is operational in the coming weeks.

In the throne speech, this government talked about creating the best economy in the G7. It seems to me that would start with adequate passenger rail service to the Gaspé Peninsula.

Can my colleague tell me when the Liberal government will listen to Quebec and the Gaspé Peninsula and pressure Via Rail to start passenger rail service as soon as possible?

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question.

It is essential to invest in infrastructure, be it infrastructure in Via Rail or in high-speed rail throughout the corridor that is being proposed, through Windsor all the way to Quebec City, to ensure that we foster ways to be competitive.

I think what we are highlighting is also the fact that the way it stands now is ineffective and is not sustainable. That is why we need to attract greater investments and enable the three Ps, to ensure that we can find feasibility in those investments, to be competitive and to serve the needs of the community, including those in Gaspé.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have an immense amount of respect for the member, in the sense that he brings to the table a great deal of head knowledge with respect to the province of Ontario. I believe he has an appreciation of the degree to which the federal government needs to work with provinces, territories and indigenous communities in order to further advance economic strength for one Canada, where all regions will benefit from it.

I am wondering if he could expand on his thoughts with regard to the whole sense of co-operation and people working together in a team Canada approach and the economic benefits of doing so.

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is essential that partnerships exist in anything we go forward with, on the economic front and on the social front. Those partnerships with industry, with other levels of government and with indigenous communities are essential, because that co-operation is what enables us to succeed. We were able to do some of that, some of those nation-building exercises.

More importantly, there is an incentive and a desire from Canadians that we do so. The trade barriers that exist provincially have to come down. We have to enable and take advantage of the mineral deposits that exist so that we can prosper. Partnership is necessary, and they want to do it too.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the wonderful member for Shefford.

Before I begin my reply to the Speech from the Throne, I would like to warmly and sincerely thank the voters of Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon for their renewed trust. I am beginning my fifth term with the same enthusiasm, the same desire to serve my constituents and, I would say, the same strength to defend the interests of my riding, but also those of Quebec. I cannot conclude my acknowledgments without mentioning that, during an election, there is a big team of volunteers beavering away. I would therefore like to thank all of my volunteers, whose unwavering commitment made April 28 a victory for the Bloc Québécois. I myself received a fifth mandate, and I would like to thank my volunteers from the bottom of my heart.

The Speech from the Throne covers many topics in a rather vague and non-specific way, but I would like to talk about what is not in it. My background as a social worker may be evident as I discuss the people who were overlooked in the Speech from the Throne.

At the top of my list are seniors. The throne speech makes no mention of seniors and their purchasing power, which is getting worse and worse. There is no mention whatsoever of tax incentives to enable them to work and improve their living conditions. There is no mention of the discrimination against seniors aged 65 to 74 with regard to old age security. There is no mention of ending the discrimination and the two-tier system of seniors created by the previous government.

There is nothing at all for our seniors, not even for the most vulnerable seniors who did not have the privilege of contributing to a private pension plan, who did not have the opportunity to save, but who worked hard all their lives, until the age of 65. Today, they are struggling to make ends meet. As we speak, with the rising cost of groceries and housing, there are seniors living in very precarious situations. However, the throne speech makes no mention of seniors. There is nothing about them.

There is also no mention of employment insurance. Since 2015, the Liberals have been promising a major reform to EI, which is an outdated program that needs to be modernized because it does not fit the new realities of the labour market. The program discriminates against pregnant women. Women on maternity leave who lose their jobs during or after their maternity leave are not entitled to EI benefits because they have not accumulated enough hours of work. This baffling discrimination is well known and well documented, but there is nothing about it in the throne speech.

There is also nothing for sick workers. Workers with colorectal cancer, for example, know that it will take about 37 weeks to be treated for cancer and recover. There is nothing for them, since EI sickness benefits are being maintained at only 26 weeks. How many workers who have worked their entire lives and never cashed a single EI cheque, but who, unfortunately, have a serious illness and have to take time off to take care of themselves, will have to go into debt for the rest of their leave? They do not have RRSPs or savings, but they still have to pay their rent and buy groceries. These older workers who have worked their entire lives feel abandoned.

The throne speech clearly shows that the Liberal government has no intention of improving EI by implementing specific measures to help workers who are struggling or who could be adversely affected by the hostile economic policy of the United States. There is not a word about the workers whose lives will be affected by the tariff crisis we are experiencing with the United States. They were overlooked.

There is also very little about housing. I will share some information that is specific to Quebec. Quebec has the Société d'habitation du Québec, the SHQ. The SHQ is responsible for delivering housing programs and services to the public. The SHQ has developed expertise. It is a Crown corporation whose mission is to help pay the rent and support the renovation and adaptation of homes. It creates programs to help people access home ownership. The SHQ partners with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the CMHC.

The CMHC and the SHQ have a financial agreement that enables the SHQ to enhance its programs and partner with municipalities to develop a housing supply that suits Quebec's reality. For example, Quebec has a particular housing model called co-op housing. We have non-profit organizations that buy buildings, often to house clients with special needs. We have low-income housing, which includes social housing and affordable housing.

In my riding, for example, every regional county municipality, or RCM, has set up a non-profit organization to create affordable housing, either by purchasing apartment buildings, which takes them off the speculative market, or by building affordable housing. Simply put, it works. I want to congratulate Toit d'Abord Habitations abordable Vaudreuil-Soulanges, a recently created organization that is going to develop housing for 12 families. This is a new construction project containing nine two-bedroom units, which are intended for low-income families that are spending over 30% of their income on housing.

I mention these details because the throne speech seems to suggest that the government is unaware that Quebec has its own model. We have our own approach. We have solutions, and we are already taking action to make housing more affordable. The last thing we want is for the government to start acting like a developer and encroaching on jurisdictions that rightly belong to Quebec and the municipalities by insinuating itself into areas like land-use planning or urban development.

We think that the federal government's job is to figure out a way to transfer the necessary funds to Quebec so that Quebec can administer programs that meet its needs and the needs of Quebeckers. We do not think the “build Canada homes” organization mentioned in the throne speech is a good idea. We believe the time has come to improve and optimize existing programs, drop the bureaucracy and trust the provinces and municipalities to develop housing stock that meets their needs.

Obviously, there is a lot more to say. As the critic for public safety and emergency preparedness, I want to say that I was deeply disappointed when I read that there was no money promised for hiring border services officers. We know that border security is important. The former government promised that it would allocate enough money to hire 1,000 border services officers, though it knew we needed 3,000. Now the promise has suddenly evaporated. If resources are limited, if we do not hire enough border services officers, can we at least give them the power to intercept migrants crossing the border illegally, to arrest them and to call the RCMP? That is currently not possible. The Bloc Québécois wants to make it possible, given the limited resources and the importance of border security.

In closing, I want to say that a Speech from the Throne sets out broad principles and broad ideas, but the devil is in the details. We really look forward to seeing those details.

[Marianne Dandurand, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague from Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon on her re-election. I would like to remind her that the Liberal government demonstrated its commitment to seniors by increasing old age security for those aged 75 and up, investing in home care and helping make medication more affordable. Our government also rolled out the dental care plan for all seniors and now for all Canadians. Perhaps if my colleague had listened to the throne speech, she would see that affordability is a priority.

Will my colleague back the government's initiatives to help seniors and improve affordability?

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind my colleague that this is my fifth term. I think there is a lesson to be learned from that about being careful when asking questions. Arrogance is never welcome.

That said, I am in touch with the people of my riding. Seniors aged 65 to 74 did not get an increase. True, they might have access to dental care now, but that does not pay the rent or buy groceries. In my riding, where 20% of constituents are 65 or older, I get stopped on the street every day by people asking me how they are supposed to live on nothing but old age security and the Quebec pension plan. They might be able to get their teeth cleaned or a cavity filled, but who is going to pay their rent or buy their medications? They needed this increase, but it did not come, so they feel discriminated against as seniors.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I mentioned the Prime Minister's comments about the throne speech and how I believe that it ultimately sends a very positive message to Canadians, a message of hope. There are plenty of opportunities that we are exploring in terms of how we are going to be able to build a stronger, healthier nation. That means working with all the different entities in Canada: provincial governments, territorial governments and indigenous communities.

Can the member provide her thoughts on how, as a nation, we can all benefit if there is a higher sense of co-operation with respect to all the different stakeholders? Is that not good for all people?

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is a good question.

Personally, I truly believe in co-operation, but who we are must be respected. Co-operation does not mean saying that I have a good idea and that anyone who disagrees is not co-operating. Co-operation is about discussion, negotiation and respect.

When I look at the throne speech, I do not get the impression or the sense that a wave of co-operation is on the horizon. Rather, I get the feeling that the government is trying to impose things on me that do not reflect who I am.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight something my colleague talked about, and that is seniors. We know how vulnerable seniors are right now, from so many different directions, especially the cost of living.

One thing I heard on the doorstep in this election and over the last year that I have never heard before is the amount of fraud that is taking place. A constituent of mine shared with me that he lost $150,000 to bank fraud. The gentleman had to go back to work; he came out of retirement. Another person, whom I met at the pool, lost $20,000.

My colleague knows there has been a report tabled at the public safety committee, on which there is still no action, to hold financial institutions to account and to ensure that the CRTC and communication companies are doing their job in their role. This may be a non-partisan opportunity for us to come together and defend our constituents.

Does my colleague agree that the government needs to take urgent action to protect seniors especially, who are vulnerable to fraud? Does she too see fraud escalating in her community and her riding?

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yes, seniors in Quebec and other Canadian provinces are increasingly falling victim to financial scams, as well as romance scams. It should be noted that there seems to be a bit of a vacuum, in that no one feels responsible for going after those who are scamming seniors.

Like my colleague, I believe that we need to talk about this and do more to address it. I think the government has a great opportunity to do something about this.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon and I clearly read each other's minds. People can probably tell that we work together on certain issues.

This is my first speech since the election, so I would like to begin by thanking the voters of Shefford for renewing their trust in me and giving me a third term, which I undertake with great humility. After a short election campaign, this new Parliament was up and running in no time and is off to a roaring start. I would like to thank the volunteers who worked on my election campaign, as well as the team that helped me get back to the House quickly. We had to roll up our sleeves and get to work the day after the election.

The throne speech was read on Tuesday, May 27, by the King of England. We can discuss the form and substance of the speech, but I would also like to take a moment to point out what is missing from it. I will unpack all of that in the next few minutes.

First, regarding the form, having Charles III read the Speech from the Throne was a deplorable choice, to say the least. It triggered bad memories for Quebec, which never signed the Constitution, I would point out. Furthermore, the monarchy is a fraught symbol for Acadians and indigenous people. In any case, I do not need to elaborate on the form, since the motion adopted unanimously at the National Assembly of Quebec speaks for itself. The elected members of the National Assembly reject the monarchy. During the royal visit, they even unanimously adopted a motion to sever all ties between the Government of Quebec and the British monarchy. The elected members of the National Assembly of Quebec sent a very clear message to King Charles III with a vote of 106 to zero.

That was the form. Let us now look at the substance. They say that writings remain, but we will have to see how this new government turns words into action. First, without tabling a budget, how can it explain its plan to limit the operating budget to growth below 2% while maintaining federal transfers? How is it going to balance the operating budget over the next three years while cutting taxes for what it calls the middle class? How can it respect Quebec's jurisdictions when it is talking about striking agreements with provinces interested in realizing the goal of “one project, one review” and creating the major federal project office? These are the things we are wondering about.

I would now like to take a moment to address the issues that I am responsible for as the critic.

Apart from a brief mention of revoking gun licenses for those convicted of intimate partner violence, there are no plans to improve women's safety in either the public or private sphere, or to curb the scourge of domestic violence and coercive control. There is nothing about the rise of hate speech and masculinist and homophobic rhetoric. For our part, in response to the demands heard by women's groups in committee, we want to regulate the use of the Jordan ruling. The Speech from the Throne completely sidesteps the urgent issues related to women's safety, and, even more troubling, the government remains completely silent on the worrying rise of intolerance promoted by certain masculinist and homophobic movements. While this hate speech is becoming increasingly widespread online and in public spaces, no measures have been announced to counter this radicalization. This silence has serious consequences. It normalizes hatred and further exposes women and LGBTQ+ people to violence, bullying and exclusion. It demonstrates, once again, that social justice and safety for all are not real priorities for the government. The Bloc Québécois refuses to stand idly by in the face of such inaction, and we demand concrete and immediate measures because women and marginalized communities are waiting. They are not waiting for words, they are waiting for action. The Bloc Québécois therefore wants to speak out loudly on their behalf, because ignoring violence means we are contributing to it.

Another issue that the Bloc Québécois has been working on for many years is seniors' purchasing power. The declining purchasing power of seniors was not mentioned in the throne speech, as my colleague pointed out. We can conclude that the government has no plans to act on this in the short or medium term. This is a clear demonstration of how disconnected the Liberals are from the realities facing seniors and people in Quebec's regions. Once again, Ottawa is ignoring critical issues that directly affect our communities. While the declining purchasing power of seniors remains a pressing issue, organizations such as FADOQ and AQDR reminded me of this before, during and even after the election campaign. It is worth noting that this pressing issue was not even mentioned in the Speech from the Throne. We can easily deduce that the government has no plans to take action on this in the short or medium term, leaving all seniors struggling to make ends meet in a precarious situation. The Bloc Québécois rejects this inaction and is trying to increase old age security by 10% for seniors aged 65 to 74 in order to eliminate the discrimination caused by the unjustified division of the two classes of seniors.

As we saw during the election campaign in Victoriaville, the government decided to ignore the stark housing needs of seniors, especially in outlying areas, with residences of fewer than 50 units ineligible for CMHC mortgage insurance. Programs need to be adapted to regional realities and investment needs to be channelled into home renovations so that seniors can age with dignity in their home and in their community.

This throne speech could also have given the federal government an opportunity to show that it understands the needs of Quebeckers. Instead, we were treated to a parade of vague promises, devoid of any vision or concrete action for seniors. The Bloc Québécois wants to keep promoting these issues forcefully, with determination, because seniors deserve a lot more than a speech. They deserve genuine, courageous action.

Returning to the economy, as my colleague said, this Liberal government like the previous one has no plans to enhance EI to help struggling workers or workers adversely affected by the hostile economic policies of the United States. This is striking because the U.S. President's economic threats monopolized attention during the election campaign. The law is also anti-feminist and needs to be reformed, among other things.

The speech has nothing new to offer on immigration. This government is continuing along the same lines as its predecessor, which, inspired by the Century Initiative's plan to grow Canada's population to 100 million by 2100, ravaged the immigration system. Then the government decided to cap temporary and permanent immigration by applying the same measures across the country. In so doing, the federal government hurt our regional economies and jeopardized some Shefford businesses. Just today, I got a letter about that from one of our local businesses, Cordé Électrique. I forwarded the letter to our critic for this file.

The Bloc Québécois notes that restrictions on temporary foreign workers are unsuitable, particularly for farmers and agri-food industries. This is crucial. My riding, Shefford, has several such industries, and the 20% cap for these sectors is a threat to our food sovereignty. It is also a threat to our regional economies. The Government of Canada must open talks with the Government of Quebec to ensure that these reductions do not harm regional industries and universities.

The housing plan is a priority for Granby. I will try to go over this quickly. The creation of “build Canada homes” is a centralizing power grab, an attempt to impose a pan-Canadian vision of housing, disregarding the expertise and autonomy of Quebec and the municipalities when it comes to land-use planning, zoning and urban development. We can see that the Liberals are also taking a page out of the Conservative playbook by imposing standards on the municipalities and the governments of Quebec and the provinces for matters that do not fall under federal jurisdiction.

I might say that the government is trying to create one housing strategy, one housing market, out of 13. When they talk about creating one economy out of 13, that shows how little they know about Quebec and the provinces. The National Assembly adopted another motion denouncing the “one economy” concept, seeing as Quebec has its system of SMEs. It is Quebec's own system, and it is demanding the right to defend it.

We have to let the cities do their job. They know what they need when it comes to zoning and housing. The current situation is really important to them.

In terms of Quebec values, the government wants to protect the rights and freedoms guaranteed to all Canadians by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. What does it want to do here? It wants to continue opposing Bill 21 on secularism and Bill 96 on language. That rhetoric also runs counter to Quebec values.

In terms of the environment, the speech states that removing barriers will make it possible to build an industrial strategy, make Canada an energy superpower and fight climate change at the same time. We wonder what will happen. How will the major federal project office's role relate to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada's role? Does this mean that its mission will now be to approve projects rather than conduct scientific assessments? Oil sands use is growing, and Canada is the world's fourth-largest producer of gas. Canada is already an energy superpower. What more does it want?

This week, Ottawa attempted to reaffirm Canada's sovereignty by bringing in a foreign sovereign, at great expense, to remind us that we are not sovereign in our own country. Meanwhile, the U.S. ambassador is saying that there will be no 51st state after all. At the end of the day, this has all just been a missed opportunity and a manufactured crisis. The federal government evidently sees any crisis as an opportunity to trample on jurisdictions and try to bring Quebec and the provinces to their knees.

We on this side of the House will stand firm. That is why the Bloc Québécois decided to deliver on one of its election promises this morning. I would like to emphasize that the Bloc Québécois introduced a bill to fully protect supply management. This is another issue that is vitally important to the farmers in my region.

[Madeleine Chenette, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague raised several points in connection with the Speech from the Throne. I want to assure her that the speech does lay out a clear vision and establish clear priorities.

I heard my colleague saying that the details of this action plan need to be clarified. I want to assure her that we are already getting to work. Our commitments on the issue of affordability are important for our constituents. I heard her. Our seniors' concerns are being considered.

Our government wants to strengthen a united Canadian economy without interprovincial trade barriers. I want to emphasize that, because the OECD's economic surveys of Canada very clearly show that we must get rid of our internal barriers and create domestic synergy. Isolating ourselves is no way to create productivity or growth.

In this context, I do not understand why some members are focusing on isolation when—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I must allow enough time for the member to respond to the comments that have been made.

The member for Shefford.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in terms of barriers between provinces, there are certain issues, labour being one, that fall under Quebec's jurisdiction. What we are saying is that certain issues will be less straightforward, because the government will have to reach an agreement with Quebec and the provinces.

Those barriers aside, I want to conclude by saying that I am not the one criticizing the idea of one economy, one system; it is the National Assembly. I wanted to mention that because its members have that right. They tabled a motion unanimously. Quebec has its own economic system, with our small and medium-sized businesses. We want to continue to defend it.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the throne speech, as we all know, is a blueprint of the direction the government would like to take moving forward, but there is follow-up to that. Oversight by Parliament is an opportunity for everyone in this place, on both sides of the House, to review how the government plans to move forward with its agenda. One of those very important things is a budget. I think it is incumbent on a sitting government to be transparent as to what it plans to do. Presenting a budget six months down the road, after we have already spent six months' worth of the money, does not make sense.

I wonder if the member can comment on how she feels about not having the opportunity to review a budget before we recess for vacation.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question, which allows me to return to an issue I mentioned briefly at the beginning of my speech.

From the outset, I asked how the government could promise tax cuts without presenting a budget. How can the government make announcements without tabling a budget? At a debate during the election campaign, our leader, the member for Beloeil—Chambly, talked about a Harry Potter budget. The Liberals are making up numbers and making announcements without presenting a budget, even though they are holding themselves up as economic experts who will be able to rein in government spending and balance all the budgets.

They do not sound serious. This is a Harry Potter budget. We need to get the figures quickly so we can come up with a game plan.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Shefford for her speech. It embodied her dedication to social justice.

I would like to give my colleague a bit of time to explain why protecting supply management is so important for Quebec's agriculture sector. In her riding and mine, there are dairy farmers operating family farms. It is a system that works well, because the entire agricultural sector is currently in crisis. Revenues are down. The ones faring best are the ones that stayed in the old system, the supply management system.

I invite my colleague to tell us why it is so important in her riding.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am not the only one saying that. The Union des producteurs agricoles, including the UPA-Estrie, is saying it too. Over the years, the government has given itself a lot of credit for protecting supply management, but it let quota go. Dairy farmers know what I am talking about. Various negotiations have resulted in the loss of 18% of our quota. Not wanting to lose more quota on top of that, the UPA-Estrie called for a bill to fully protect supply management.

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with a profound honour that I rise for the first time in the 45th Parliament to speak to my colleagues about the Speech from the Throne.

Let me start by congratulating every single member on having been elected to Canada's Parliament. It is a momentous occasion for all of us in our personal journeys and our journeys on behalf of our families and our community. My profound congratulations go especially to all the new members who have joined. What a remarkable opportunity to serve our community and, most importantly, to serve our country.

I would be remiss if I did not first say some thank yous while standing here in front of all members. I will start with my family. I want to thank my partner, Andrea Dicks, for her remarkable support and endorsement. Like many spouses, as everyone knows, she is somebody who was always there, looking after the kids so that we could be out there for five, six weeks, day in and day out, knocking on doors and meeting constituents. We would not be able to do the work we do without supportive families and, in my case, Andrea.

I want to thank my two children. Rafi just turned 13 a day before the election, on April 27. He was worried about whether he would have his birthday dinner or not. We made sure that happened after I took him canvassing with me. He was great during this election. He knocked on a lot of doors and brought some of his friends as well. My daughter, Elliana, who is nine years old, also came canvassing with me quite a few times. This was a bit of an interesting experience, because my kids are old enough now to participate. It was fun. I was able to spend time with them.

Of course, I want to thank my parents, my father, who I call daddy, and my mother, Ammi, for all their support and for always being there for me. I am grateful to them for the opportunities they have given to me.

Campaigns are nothing without volunteers. All of us know that, and my campaign was no exception. Hundreds of volunteers came out to support me in our campaign. These people are neighbours, friends, colleagues and community folks who came in, day in and day out, because they were excited to build a strong Canada. They really saw the Liberal Party and the Prime Minister, the member for Nepean, as the leader who can really lead our country in the next chapter of our growth to make sure that our country and our economy are strong, but most importantly, that we are an independent country. I will speak more to that a little later.

I want to thank the staff in my office, who worked extremely hard in anticipation of the election and between elections, for the good work they did. I want to thank them for having faith in me and for working alongside me in serving our constituents here in Ottawa Centre.

My most important thank you is to my constituents in Ottawa Centre, who have trusted me yet again and given me the opportunity to serve our community. They came out in the thousands to vote for me. They allowed me the opportunity and the time at their doorsteps to have very thoughtful, mindful conversations about the issues of the day and the direction our country needs to take.

I have always gained so much from my constituents since 2007, when I ran for the first time provincially. This was my sixth election and it is the fifth time that I have had an opportunity to serve my community of Ottawa Centre. I am absolutely humbled by their trust, their wisdom and their desire to give me an opportunity to be their voice. I will honour that every single day.

This election, in my view, was different from every other election I have been part of, whether as a volunteer or as a candidate. This election was really about the future of our country and about the direction we want to go in to build a country that is strong and independent, both politically, when it comes to our sovereignty, but also in terms of our economy, the kind of economy we will build. Those were the conversations I had.

It was a very historic moment, having our sovereign, the King, present the speech himself. I was lucky, like many of my colleagues, to be in the Senate by the bar to listen to the speech. There were two passages that really jumped out at me in the speech, that spoke to me directly with regard to the conversations I had with my constituents during the election campaign.

The first one was at the beginning of the speech. It is this: “Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the Government is determined to protect.” Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination and freedom are the values we will all agree defines who we are as Canadians.

The reason this passage jumped out at me is that it took me back to my origin story, about how I came to Canada. I was not born here. Some members have heard this. I was a teenager, 15 years old, when I came here. Both of my parents were lawyers, but they were not able to practise for a single day in Canada, because their credentials were not recognized. Like many immigrant families, they bought a small business, a motel in Niagara Falls, Ontario. A recession hit and we lost everything. My family of five moved into a small two-bedroom apartment. My mom and dad got one room, my sister got the other room and the boys got the living room. My brother, being older than me, slept on the couch. I slept on the floor. My family worked extremely hard every day. We had our community, and we were proud to be part of this new society, this new country. The opportunities that were given to us, even though we were not Canadians at that time, allowed us to be successful.

However, what is most important is the reason we came to Canada. Both of my parents were involved in the pro-democracy movement in the country I was born in. In fact, my father led a pro-democracy march and was imprisoned. He was sentenced to nine months as a political prisoner. I was 10 years old at the time. It is part of my memory and has defined who I am today. Therefore, when I see words like “democracy”, “pluralism”, “rule of law”, “self-determination” and “freedom”, that is what this country has given to me.

My story is not unique. That is the story of so many Canadians from different generations who chose to be part of this country and are working hard to contribute. These are the values that define us and that we honour. I was excited and thrilled to see those words mentioned in the speech.

The second passage was toward the end of the throne speech, and I think everybody noticed. It was when the King said, “As the anthem reminds us: The True North is indeed strong and free!”

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I love hearing my friends opposite heckle, because they do that all the time.

Yes, indeed, the True North will always be strong and free.

Those were the most important conversations I had with my constituents in the election campaign. I can say that almost 90% of the conversations were around the anxiety and fear that people are facing as to the future of our country. I wanted them to know that we will do everything in our capacity in Parliament to stand up for Canada. We will make sure that Canada remains a strong, independent country and that we collectively take steps, working with each other, to make sure that Canada remains a beacon of hope, a country that will always cherish the values of democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination and freedom.

Those were the conversations, and I will never forget those conversations. I am sure all members have examples, and I will give a quick one right now. When I was talking to a couple close to my age at a door, the man I was talking to just broke down and started crying. His fear and anxiety were so palpable, and I had to give him a hug. I made a commitment to him that I will, on his behalf, always stand up for our country. That is the work we are—