Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Laurier—Sainte‑Marie.
I rise today with great respect, because we are talking about a chapter that has had a profound impact on thousands of Quebeckers. The Mirabel expropriations are part of history. Lives were turned upside down, families were displaced, communities were torn apart and people had to leave their homes, their neighbours, sometimes their jobs and give up part of their identity. Yes, there is collective trauma. Yes, there is pain that takes time to heal. Even though former transportation minister Garneau apologized, we still need to be able to talk about the situation with dignity today.
I also want to explain why this issue is personal to me. I was born on a farm on Patriotes Road in Saint-Ours. Farming plays a central role in my life. In 1958, my grandparents, the Poitevin-Bourgeois family, were awarded the title of Quebec's farm family of the year. Their successors, the Préfontaine-Bourgeois family, who I am also related to, received the same award in 2018. Mine is a story of family, succession and landowners. I have a deep understanding of the value of a farm. I understand that a piece of land is not just an asset. There is a history there, a legacy. That land represents the work of several generations.
I also understand that our farmers are already facing serious challenges related to climate change, technological and digital innovation, food security, workforce and family succession. The last thing our farmers need is another source of uncertainty, so we need to be responsible in how we conduct this debate. There is a difference between recognizing a historical injustice and using that injustice to fearmonger today. There is a difference between learning from the past and remaining stuck in the past.
We cannot change what happened in Mirabel in 1969, but we have a collective responsibility to learn from it and ensure that it does not happen again. That is precisely why Canada's framework for expropriation and major projects has been completely overhauled. At the time, land was seized without warning, without consultation, without the possibility of appeal. That would no longer happen today.
The current system is based on clear and modern principles: public consultation, mandatory notices, the possibility of appeal, and fair compensation. These principles are enshrined in law and they align with the systems in Quebec and Ontario. The very reason they exist is to prevent situations like the one in Mirabel from happening again.
The heart of today's debate is not to determine whether these principles exist. It is to recognize that they are already at the heart of our modern legal framework and that they must be rigorously applied. That is part of the motion. Public consultation, social licence and appropriate compensation are not political slogans. They are legal requirements designed to protect citizens, municipalities, farmers, and affected communities.
First, meaningful public consultation is a legal requirement. It is not optional. It involves mandatory notices, structured consultations held early in the process, with accessible information and meaningful opportunities for citizens, municipalities and the agricultural community to voice their concerns. That is what we are doing right now with the high-speed train project.
Second, social licence is recognized as a condition for success, not an obstacle to get around. Any project that goes ahead against the will of a community will fail, resulting in delays, costs and loss of trust. The current framework is designed to prevent that.
Third, protecting farmland is an integral part of project assessments. Farmland is an asset that benefits society as a whole. The current rules require consideration of farmland's economic, social and strategic value. I would add that, nowadays, we all recognize how very important farmland is to our sovereignty.
Fourth, compensation mechanisms are set out in the act: independent appraisals, the right to object and compensation based on fair market value. Every piece of farmland represents a life, and these mechanisms exist to ensure justice, transparency and dignity.
I also want to be very clear: Liberal members from the northern suburbs are in touch with the City of Mirabel and with Mayor Roxane Thérien and her teams.
The mayor and I had a great conversation about Alto and the consultation process last week. We are committed to keeping this dialogue going and to talking about what we need to do together to ensure that this project meets the needs of her region, her city and, of course, the regional county municipality or RCM.
We are listening to members of the public and working with municipalities to come up with practical solutions. This approach is already being used in our region. After extensive consultations with Connexion Laurentides and the seven RCMs, the Laurentides region has been working since last December to position itself as an experimentation and innovation hub for transportation and a community with everything to offer. The Minister of Transport came to our region to speak directly with elected officials, economic stakeholders and local partners. This approach, which involves consultation, collaboration and building with the region, is exactly what people expect from us.
Our role as members of Parliament is to listen, consult and take prompt action to address people's concerns and to seize economic development opportunities. I am ready to work with every member from the region and the member for Mirabel to make that happen.
I will conclude by saying that, yes, Mirabel is part of our collective memory, and yes, what happened was a historical injustice. However, respect does not mean exploiting trauma to play politics. Respect means protecting Canadians today and building the future for tomorrow.
We have made our choice: We will build the future with clear rules, with people and for future generations. The good news is that we are already on the ground. I encourage the member for Mirabel and other members from the region to come work with us to find solutions.
I am asking a clear question: When will my Bloc Québécois colleagues stop using the trauma of what happened in Mirabel as a political tool and choose to work with us to support the economic interests of Quebec and the development of the Lower Laurentians and other regions, with respect for the people, farmers and communities?