Debates of Feb. 5th, 2026

Opposition Motion—Apology to Those Whose Land Was Expropriated in Mirabel

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, again, I think the only ones who do not understand why it is important to support this motion are the Liberals. I think that everyone in the House is wondering how anyone can vote against this motion. I think that my colleague eloquently demonstrated that.

Now, I would like to take my colleague to another issue.

This government passed Bill C-5 under a closure motion. Does that not fly in the face of what the Liberals have been saying about holding consultations and how everything will be done properly and that environmental laws will be respected?

By making high-speed rail a project of national interest, Bill C-5 would allow them to ignore all these laws.

Is there not a contradiction here?

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, who is always so insightful, for his question.

Yes, of course there is a contradiction. The government tells us not to worry, because it will consult with the people and everything will be fine. Yet the same government, under a closure motion, decided to pass legislation that allows it to bypass all the protective measures we have put in place. They are bypassing these measures, they are allowing Alto to do so, and we are being told not to worry because they are going to consult the people. Are they taking us for fools?

Let us take a look back. Since the past is supposed to be an indication of what the future holds, I must say that it is quite worrying when you look at what happened in Mirabel.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today is a particularly important day for us because it reminds us, among other things, of the deep wounds we carry. After all, we are talking about nearly 2,000 families who were literally uprooted by the construction of the Mirabel airport in 1969. Those scars have not yet healed.

What we are seeing today is a certain arrogance and a lack of consideration, and that is why our motion, our opposition day, is so important. Simply raising the possibility of expropriating some of these lands a second time obviously reopens a collective memory that remains very sensitive among the people of Mirabel, and even across Quebec for those who witnessed what happened in Mirabel at the time. Charging ahead like a runaway train is certainly not the way to get social licence for high-speed rail.

We are talking about social licence for projects. However, the government is doing exactly the opposite of what it takes to get social licence. We are talking today about a major public transit project. We often talk about all of the environmental measures that this government has backtracked on over the past year. It is a long list. One recent example is the $5 billion in cuts the government has made to the Canada public transit fund. However, with this high-speed rail project, the government may be able to show that it has not completely given up on public transit and that it can complete a project that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve people's quality of life and improve transit.

However, the government must understand that, if people are not involved in the decision-making process early on, they are bound to resist, particularly in the case of the people of Mirabel, who have experienced a major collective trauma that the government is forcing them to relive by hastily imposing a process and holding consultations that are not even worthy of the name. These are not even actual consultations. They are more of a display that people can stop by to look at, a kind of happy hour consultation, when greater tact should be exercised to ensure that the people of Mirabel do not feel pressured into things.

Today, we are asking the government to make amends and apologize. The government has not yet given any indication that it is willing to do so. I find that extremely worrying, because even the mayor of Mirabel said she does not know what is happening on the ground. She said that the government is literally ramming the project through and riding roughshod over the people.

Citizens are not the only ones who will be affected; agricultural businesses will be as well. I can tell you what is happening in Lanaudière, for example, where the Union des producteurs agricoles has already mobilized. It is concerned because the government is planning a route that will break the area up over a 10-kilometre swath. People are wondering where the route will go. There is no way that consultations in Terrebonne for example, several dozen kilometres from their town, will generate genuine social support for this project. For one, these consultations will not actually be consultations. Again, the project is important, but right now it is being poorly managed. The problem is not the project, it is the way it is being carried out.

By handling a consultation in this way, they are essentially refusing to listen to the concerns of the public and of farmers. I would also add the concerns of industries, businesses and SMEs located within this 10-kilometre-wide corridor. People are wondering if they are going to be expropriated. Why consider such a large area when we know full well that a railroad track is not 10 kilometres wide? When we talk about taking the population's concerns into account, it is because the population has a socio-historical connection to the region. Not listening to the local population is not only a flagrant lack of consideration, but also a recipe for disaster, undermining solutions that would enable Canada to enter the 21st century.

I want to reiterate what the mayor of Mirabel, Ms. Therrien, said. She learned through the media that the proposed route would pass through her territory. She is a mayor, but she learned about it from the media. Imagine how disrespectful that is. She even had to take steps to meet with Alto, voice her concerns, and remind them, among other things, of the importance—and this is serious—of properly consulting the people of Mirabel.

What is happening today in Mirabel demonstrates how important it is for the government to apologize, because what is happening on the ground shows how little progress the government has made, how insensitive it is to the reality of the people of Mirabel and how insensitive it is to the reality of the people of Quebec.

Even in its statement on January 28, Alto's message was clear. The mistakes of the past must not be repeated here. However, if the mistakes of the past are not to be repeated, then we must remember the expropriations.

The government passed the Expropriation Act to prevent this from happening again. However, the Liberal government included clauses in the current budget to suspend parts of the act, such as the obligation to hold meaningful public consultations. It will therefore be free to ignore what the mayors of Mirabel and other cities, such as Terrebonne and Mascouche, are asking for. They spoke out just yesterday, demanding meaningful public consultations. Worse still, for this project, residents may be notified of expropriation by email. Imagine announcing that by email.

[An hon. member]

That is awful.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

What a shameful lack of consideration for the public. Mr. Speaker, this is very concerning.

The Liberals' condescending approach is to push projects through without any real discussion. That breeds mistrust, even with respect to potentially positive initiatives to support things like the fight against climate change and transportation for Canadians, and especially for Quebeckers.

What we are seeing is that the government is sabotaging its own momentum. Instead of moving forward, it is backtracking. Obviously, we are calling on the government to hold serious consultations with mayors, citizens, farmers and businesses. We are talking about their lives and the place where they live, but so far, no public consultations have been held in Mirabel, or at least no meaningful consultation, and so we are waiting for some new dates and locations.

There is a new new process that will increase accountability when it comes to consultations. Every consultation process must have a record of proceedings. People have the right to know what is being said and it needs to be archived somewhere. People's concerns need to be documented.

It is very worrisome to see a project worth tens of billions of dollars start out like this. Obviously, I would add to that Bill C-5 and Bill C-15, among others, which will allow the government, and therefore Alto, to circumvent the provisions of the Expropriation Act.

Let us come back to the 1969 experience. It has shown how deeply the federal government already traumatized an entire population, even without the excessive powers granted by these bills. Imagine what they will be able to do now with these bills. Imagine how far they will go, especially considering that Bill C-15 gives significant powers of expropriation and the right of first refusal to Alto, among other things, in order to speed up the construction of high-speed rail.

By trying to move too quickly, there is a risk that things will once again go off the rails. Rushing things and doing them poorly seems to be the government's modus operandi when it comes to major projects. We will certainly also refuse to allow selective use of the Impact Assessment Act, because we need impact assessments that are worthy of their name, that are comprehensive and that allow for genuine consultation. We are currently seeing exactly the opposite from the government.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec Centre, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think my colleague understands and clearly noted some of the benefits of the Alto project: the equivalent of 100,000 cars being taken off the road; a 50% reduction in travel time; greater reliability; higher frequency; a more comfortable journey; and the creation of 51,000 good jobs.

Already, 26,000 people have participated in the consultation process that is only just beginning. How does my colleague plan to encourage other people, including those in his riding, to take part in this consultation?

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us go back to the reason for this opposition day. We are talking about Mirabel and the need for an apology. With all due respect to my colleague and his question, I am a bit disappointed that he did not comment on the Mirabel case.

That said, we already know the answer. People want more consultations, real meetings, in more places, with more dates, not just displays, but actual, proper consultations, as is normally done in Quebec.

[Ellis Ross, Conservative, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the motion is an apology to the residents of Mirabel for expropriation.

I am using this opportunity for educational purposes. I did not know about this happening back in 1969. I get why the Bloc has put this motion on the table, so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. The government seems to be reluctant to support the motion.

In terms of expropriation, what is the member's understanding of where this takes place? Does it take place within the environmental assessment, or does it take place outside the environmental assessment that provides some type of pathway for high-speed rail?

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if things were done properly, there would be a real environmental assessment, a real project and a real authority that people could trust. Then people could have their say. At this point, that is not the case.

Normally, a final project is presented for people to comment on. In this case, there is only a 10-kilometre-wide route, and people are worried about that. Above all, they do not want to relive the trauma they experienced, which is still very real for the people of Mirabel. That is what worries us.

Today, it is important that the government recognize this, make amends and apologize to the public. It is important that it improve its consultation process, which is tearing communities apart or, at the very least, scaring many people, and rightly so.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the debate, members from Quebec have refused to say whether they will vote for or against our motion, preferring instead to simply toe the party line. If, during the vote, a few courageous members stood up, but the entire cabinet remained seated, does my colleague not think that this would illustrate that they have no sway over government decisions to ensure that Quebec's voice is heard within this government?

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, what I have witnessed since the start of this new Parliament is that the entire Quebec contingent on the government benches always toes the government line. They are not here to defend Quebec's interests.

My colleague's question is entirely hypothetical, because I doubt that even a single Quebec Liberal member will rise to support the motion calling on the government to apologize. I would be very honoured to see that happen, but sadly, I will believe it when I see it, because no one has dared to break from the party line so far. When it comes time to defend Quebec's interests, all they do is defend the interests of the government.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know why the Liberals refuse to apologize. Historically, they have always ended up apologizing when there was a scandal.

What does my colleague think about that? Why will the Liberals not say that they are sorry?

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will turn the question back to our Liberal colleagues. Why will they not apologize?

It is unbelievable. They have no reason not to. I think that they need to rise above the fray for once. What we expect from this government is respect for the people and respect for Mirabel.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

Before I recognize the hon. member for Les Pays-d'en-Haut, I would like to point out that there is a lot of noise in the House. I want to make sure the hon. member has all the time to which he is entitled.

The hon. member will be interrupted for statements by members and oral questions. He will therefore have just over two minutes, and then he will be able to continue after oral question period.

That said, the hon. member for Les Pays-d'en-Haut has the floor for his speech.

[Tim Watchorn, Liberal, Les Pays-d'en-Haut, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Trois-Rivières .

I am pleased to rise in the House for the first time in 2026 on behalf of my constituents in Les Pays-d'en-Haut.

Before we talk about the future, we need to acknowledge the past. The Government of Canada recognizes that the expropriations carried out for the construction of the Mirabel airport in the late 1960s left deep scars on the people of Mirabel. Families and communities were profoundly affected. The difficult memories associated with these events have never completely faded for many Quebeckers. Apart from the member for Mirabel himself, I am surely the person in the House who has travelled the most through the Mirabel area.

As an engineer in Mirabel, I built roads, replaced culverts and worked on water mains, sewers, bike paths and parks. During all this work, I had the pleasure of meeting the people of that beautiful city and working with their employees, specifically those working in technical services. I met the new mayor, who truly has the best interests of her constituents at heart. Whether it is Saint‑Janvier, Saint‑Benoît, Saint‑Hermas, Sainte‑Scholastique, Saint‑Augustin, Sainte‑Monique or Saint‑Canut, each sector of Mirabel is unique, but together they form a city and an RCM, because it is a city-RCM, which is a real force for our region. We are proud to work with the people of Mirabel on a wide range of issues.

We can build major projects in Canada without repeating the mistakes of the past. The Bloc Québécois wants Canadians to believe that building high-speed rail will harm their communities.

I will have more to say after oral question period.

The Environment

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is official: The Prime Minister is suffering from amnesia; he is the Professor Calculus of the climate crisis.

We all remember that, in his previous life, the Prime Minister was the UN special envoy on climate action and finance. He even headed the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, but he seems to have forgotten that. Not only is he backtracking on the emissions cap for the oil and gas sector, not only is he prepared to authorize a new pipeline, but now we learn that the Canada pension plan is injecting $7 billion into new fossil-fuel assets. That is the complete opposite of what he used to advocate, and it is what we call flip-flopping and betraying people's trust.

How can we convince banks and investment firms to turn their backs on oil and gas in order to comply with the Paris Agreement when the Liberal government is doing the exact opposite?

I know there are Liberal members who want a green tax system. Now is the time to stand up and denounce the deadly direction of this government, which is headed for disaster at full speed.

Rev. Dr. Aruna Alexander

[Chris Malette, Liberal, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the loss of a community champion in the Bay of Quinte region, a person of deep faith and conviction, and also a dear friend, Rev. Dr. Aruna Alexander. Immigrating to Canada as a young woman and studying divinity at the University of Toronto, Aruna was ordained by the United Church of Canada, dedicated her life to breaking down barriers and fighting racism across society, and later became the passionate leader of the Bay of Quinte chapter of the United Nations Association in Canada.

Aruna was a force of nature and someone who did not suffer lightly the denigration of the noble intentions of equity, diversity and inclusion. She lived them every day.

I want to send my condolences to her husband, David, her family and her congregations. I will miss her wisdom and humour greatly, and I hope everyone in the House can help me send condolences to her loved ones.

Elgin County Olympic and Paralympic Athletes

[Andrew Lawton, Conservative, Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise with tremendous pride to celebrate two remarkable athletes from my riding who are carrying our proud Canadian flag on the world stage.

This year, our Olympic and Paralympic hockey teams will feature two hometown heroes whose talent and determination embody the very best of Elgin County and of Canada. From Rodney, the great Bo Horvat will don the maple leaf with our Olympic team for the first time, and from Wallacetown, James Dunn returns as a star on our para ice hockey team. Their dedication, resilience and unwavering commitment to their sport inspire us all back home.

Bo and James's achievements reflect the strength of our communities and the spirit of every young athlete who dreams big. All of Elgin County, and I think I can say all Canadians, will be cheering them on every step of the way. We are so proud of them both, and we want to tell them, “Keep your sticks on the ice and bring home the gold.”

Black History Month

[Michael Coteau, Liberal, Scarborough—Woburn, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today to mark Black History Month, to honour Black excellence, resilience and brilliance across our great country. This year, 2026, marks 30 years since Black History Month was formally recognized in the House. However, we know that Black history goes back centuries here in what we call Canada.

From early settlers to abolitionists, community leaders, artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, public servants and politicians, Black Canadians have touched all parts of Canada's history and continue to shape this great country. Black History Month is a time not only to reflect on our past but to celebrate our achievements and recommit to building a future rooted in equity, inclusion and opportunity for all. This month and every month, we recognize Black History Month here in this great country, Canada.

Serge Boulanger and David Leclerc

[Éric Lefebvre, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to two paramedics from the Richmond—Arthabaska riding whose courage and composure deserve to be recognized.

On January 8, when a major fire raged on in a building on King Street in Richmond, Serge Boulanger and David Leclerc, paramedics at the Coopérative des travailleurs d'ambulance de l'Estrie, performed an act of extreme bravery. Quickly arriving at the scene of the fire and seeing that vulnerable people were still inside, they did not hesitate to enter the smoke-filled building to evacuate an elderly tenant who was completely unaware of the danger. Their quick, thoughtful and safe response undoubtedly saved a life, in addition to coming to the aid of the affected patient.

Beyond their regular duties, they have demonstrated an exemplary sense of duty, courage and humanity. On behalf of all my colleagues in the House of Commons, I want to sincerely thank them for their exceptional commitment.

Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina officially open tomorrow, and more than 3,000 passionate athletes from around the world will compete in the sports they have mastered to get there.

More than 200 athletes will wear Canada's colours with heart and courage, and for the first time, there will be more women than men.

Sherbrooke will be proudly represented by Kim Boutin, Félix Roussel, and Jordan Pierre-Gilles in short track speed skating; Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu in long track speed skating; and Marion Thénault in freestyle skiing. Nutritionist Martin Fréchette will keep our athletes in top shape.

To our Olympians, I hope that this event will be an opportunity for you to go above and beyond and live your passion to the fullest. Go for gold, have fun, push yourselves and, most importantly, know that the whole country is cheering you on.

Go Canada! Go Sherbrooke!

Shipbuilding in Newfoundland and Labrador

[Jonathan Rowe, Conservative, Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL]

Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador has a long history of building boats and protecting North America during the wars. Unfortunately, it seems like the Liberal government is overlooking our province as it builds its icebreaker maintenance facility.

In my region alone, we currently have four industry ports sitting idle: Marystown Shipyard, Cow Head facility, the Bull Arm Fabrication Site and the retired navy base of Argentia. Newfoundlanders have used these sites to build vessels, ferries and even large oil rigs. With all these previous projects, our tradespeople have become the best boatbuilders in the world, but over the last Liberal decade, these sites have been empty. Now Newfoundland and Labrador has 74% of its tradespeople unemployed.

We have the ports. We have the people. Let us get a government that gets our people to work.

Sopilka Ukrainian Dance School

[Ben Carr, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, this year, the Sopilka Ukrainian Dance School, located in my riding of Winnipeg South Centre, is celebrating 55 years of preserving and sharing Ukrainian culture.

Sopilka began as a small Ukrainian language class and grew into one of Manitoba's most respected dance schools. The school was founded in the early 1970s by Vicky Adams, a constituent of mine and a lifelong champion of Ukrainian culture, education and community life. Her extraordinary contributions were recently recognized with a King's coronation medal, reflecting decades of volunteerism and leadership, including her deep involvement with the Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic Church.

For generations of young people, Sopilka has been a place where discipline, history and cultural pride are passed down. Through performances across Manitoba and beyond, Sopilka has helped ensure that Ukrainian traditions remain vibrant, visible and proud.

I congratulate Vicky Adams, artistic director Kristina Frykas, dancers, instructors, families and alumni on 55 remarkable years. Here is to many more.

The Economy

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economy is on life support and the country is in recession watch.

Bloomberg reports that “per capita GDP is still falling, and the economy is growing at only one per cent annually.” GDP growth in November was 0%, and real GDP is expected to decline 0.1% in the fourth quarter. The news for business is bleak. Businesses are postponing their expansion plans. These numbers matter. When our economy is not growing, Canadians get poorer.

The Liberals want to blame outside forces instead of taking action here at home. The Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, but has not gotten rid of a single anti-development law or bureaucracy. He only needs to listen to our ideas and introduce a plan that gets his government's barriers and tax burdens out of the way so Canadians can build.

Representing Quebec at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, many of us were dismayed to hear that Quebec would not be represented on the Canadian men's hockey team at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games.

Quebec has always produced outstanding players, and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has won more Memorial Cups in recent years than the Ontario or western leagues. However, Quebec players are absent from the team, and the French language risks being absent as well. This decision by Hockey Canada shows a complete lack of consideration for Quebec.

Surprise, surprise. Quebec can still cheer on one of our own at the Olympic Games. Phil Pietroniro is originally from Saint‑Eustache. He spent part of his time in junior hockey playing with the Val‑d'Or Foreurs, where he helped the team win the 2014 President's Cup. Now he is an Olympian on the Italian national team.

From Saint‑Eustache to Milano Cortina, with a stopover in Abitibi—Témiscamingue, Phil Pietroniro will allow Quebeckers to cheer on one of our own by proudly shouting “Viva Italia!”