The hon. member for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis.
House of Commons Hansard #9 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
House of Commons Hansard #9 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Business of the House Steven MacKinnon moves motion agreed to by Members to change House Standing Orders for the 45th Parliament regarding committee composition, appointment, and procedures for suspending sittings during late-night votes. 400 words.
Strong Borders Act Second reading of Bill C-2. The bill aims to strengthen border security, combat organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, money laundering, and enhance immigration system integrity. Proponents say it provides crucial new tools for law enforcement. Critics raise concerns about its omnibus nature, lack of provisions on bail and sentencing, insufficient resources, and privacy implications of new powers, including lawful access and mail inspection, arguing it requires thorough, detailed work in committee. 44700 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Main Estimates, 2025-26 Members debate Public Safety and Transport estimates. Discussions include concerns about correctional service decisions, bail reform, gun control (including the buyback program), and border security (Bill C-2, CBSA/RCMP hiring). They also discuss efforts to strengthen the economy and create a single Canadian market by reducing internal trade barriers, investments in national transport infrastructure like ports and rail, and issues with air passenger rights. 31800 words, 4 hours.
The Assistant Deputy Chair Conservative John Nater
The hon. member for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis.
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, has the minister been in contact with Quebec's minister of transport and sustainable mobility, Ms. Guilbault, who has reiterated her intention to build the third link?
Has the minister spoken to her? Has she had any contact with her?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, the member is right. Obviously, I have good relationships with all the provincial and territorial ministers, including the Quebec ministers. I also want to acknowledge the important role that Premier Legault played on Monday at the meeting of provincial and territorial ministers, which was a marathon session dealing with—
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, we are talking about the third link. Is the minister in favour of building a third link, as the Quebec government and the people of Quebec have been calling for, yes or no?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, as the Prime Minister has said, we are in the process of building Canada. We are preparing a bill that will enable us to build Canada together.
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, I look forward to hearing the beginning of an answer. In February, the current Prime Minister of Canada described the idea of a third link as interesting, particularly in the context of economic tensions with the United States. Does the minister agree with him, yes or no?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, as I said, we are in the process of building Canada. We are creating the legal foundation that will allow us to do that. I hope that members who also want to build Canada will—
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, will she recommend funding the third link between Quebec City and Lévis, yes or no?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, as the Prime Minister said, today we are talking about laws. We are talking about conditions that will allow us to—
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, earlier, the minister was worried about whether truckers would be able to cross interprovincial borders. Personally, I am only going to worry about whether they can cross the St. Lawrence. Does the minister know where heavy traffic has to go to cross the river in Quebec City?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, I hope that the truckers of Quebec and Canada will listen to the discussion and debate in the House.
I am pleased to know that we are all so worried about truckers. On this issue—
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, I will answer the question. They have to cross the Pierre Laporte Bridge because the Quebec Bridge cannot handle heavy vehicles. The minister should know that now that she is the owner of the Quebec Bridge. Does she know where heavy trucks go if the Pierre Laporte Bridge has to be closed?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, as I said, it is important to us to collaborate and respect the provinces. We respect the jurisdiction of every province, including Quebec—
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, the answer is the Laviolette Bridge in Trois‑Rivières.
Does the minister know how many extra kilometres and hours that is for truck drivers and the companies that hire them?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, I am so glad we all agree on one thing, which is that truck drivers are important.
Dominique Vien Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
Mr. Chair, it is 140 kilometres there and 140 kilometres back. That is an hour and a half each way, which adds up to an additional three hours.
In 2016 and 2017, 94% of the 800 incidents that occurred in and around the Pierre Laporte Bridge caused the bridge to close. Does the minister know how many days those interruptions added up to?
Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Chair, what I know is that we must build Canada and Quebec. We will do so in close co-operation with the province and, I hope, with the co-operation of the members from Quebec.
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the minister for joining us today. I am pleased that she is willing to participate in this exercise. I hope it will be positive and constructive as well as informative for those who are listening.
First, I would like to mention that I will be sharing five minutes of my time with the member for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj.
On January 10, the government announced that it would eventually run out of funds for the incentives for zero-emission vehicles program. That was on a Friday, and 48 hours later, on Monday, January 13, suddenly there was no more money in the incentives for zero-emission vehicles program.
Unfortunately, when we looked at the appropriations that the government announced for government operations and submitted to the House for approval, we did not see any additional funds allocated for this program. Does the minister know how many car dealers in Quebec have been affected by this situation? Does she know what costs dealerships have had to absorb by granting rebates on vehicles in good faith when they failed to receive the money from the government afterwards?
Main Estimates, 2025-26Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
University—Rosedale Ontario
Liberal
Chrystia Freeland LiberalMinister of Transport and Internal Trade
Mr. Chair, I thank the hon. member for his question and for the letter that he sent me on this issue.
I recognize the importance of this issue. We are working with small and medium-sized businesses. I want to assure the member and SMEs that the government will be there for them. I cannot provide all of the details today, but I do want to assure everyone who has participated in this program that we will be there for them.
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
Mr. Chair, I thank the minister for her beginning of an answer. In Canada, dealers have lost $11 million. They paid rebates out of their own pockets.
I think that selling electric cars is a good thing. We know that there were availability issues, and we know that there was also some resistance in the industry. I believe that it is a very positive development that dealers decided to join in the effort to electrify and decarbonize our transportation industry. I think that the least that the government can do is to then support them. There was a program in place in the past. Dealers in Canada had to absorb an $11-million loss because the government was unable to honour its promises.
In Quebec, we are talking about 80%, or roughly $9 million. Is the government committed to reimbursing this money?