Debates of May 5th, 2026

Opposition Motion—Measures to Support the Manufacturing Sector

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk to my colleague about the worst dependency we have. It is the 80% of the oil sector, the major players in that sector, that is owned by foreign interests, and the 60% of the oil sector that is American‑owned. There is capital flight. The sector has made record profits in recent years. Where do all those dividends go? They are going to the United States.

That is even more troubling than the forestry sector's dependence on the American market. We are paying for oil and gas sector infrastructure, while the industry bigwigs are taking their dividends and investing them in the United States. That is what my colleague should be addressing.

[Kurt Holman, Conservative, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member from the Bloc for his excellent speech. This bill is about supporting the manufacturing sector. In London—Fanshawe, the manufacturing sector has brought up concerns to me regarding the tariffs. The Liberal government keeps delaying when the so-called negotiations by the Prime Minister will be finalized, the ones dealing with these tariffs between Canada and the U.S.

Does the member from the Bloc agree that the Prime Minister should tell Canadians the specific date when these negotiations will be finalized?

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think that what the government should be focusing on right now is finding a lasting solution for Quebec businesses that are suffering as a result of the current situation. Instead, as I was saying earlier, the government has created a road map for investing in the energy sector. This is blatantly unfair. Let me be very clear: This is blatantly unfair to Quebec and is undermining Quebec's two strongest economic sectors, which are forestry and aluminum.

What I want is not just loans from the government, but a comprehensive strategy that will help support our businesses and industries. What I want is for the government to stop throwing all our money at oil, as we saw in the last budget statement and in the budget.

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

Mr. Speaker, this time almost a year ago, this government and this Prime Minister were elected purely on a promise to resolve the tariff crisis. The Prime Minister told us that it would be resolved in June. Then he said it would be in July. In the end, he said that it might happen in September. A year later, not only has the tariff crisis not been resolved, but it has gotten worse with Donald Trump's executive order and the April 6 tariffs.

We understand that this government set the bar far too high when it came to negotiating. We now see that the government is incapable of keeping its promises.

In the meantime, while we wait for an agreement with the Americans, should the government's priority not be to take quick, effective and easy-to-implement measures that would help our businesses, our SMEs and Quebec's economic fabric, as well as our workers?

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what an intelligent question. That was fantastic. Yes, that is absolutely true, but it needs to be done quickly. People in the forestry sector and other stakeholders are proposing solutions to the government. The major problem with this federation is that, right now, our entire fiscal capacity to support certain economic sectors is going to the oil and gas sector.

I would just like a little bit of that to go to the forestry sector. I would like to see the government have the courage to support the forestry sector in the same way that it supports the energy sector. On that day, we might see a little more fairness in this federation.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Jonquière, whose speeches are always both eloquent and insightful.

I am starting my 11th year in the House, and I have lost count of how many times I have risen to speak about the forestry and aluminum sectors or about the broader issue of Quebec, of course.

Earlier, a government member asked a question about our dependence on the United States. As a sovereignist, I would say that the first way that we are, unfortunately, unavoidably dependent on the U.S. is through the Canadian federation. We see how the government and the Prime Minister fail to recognize Quebec. The Prime Minister said that his first major move had to be economic. Perhaps that was necessary since he took office just a few months after the arrival of Trump and the tariffs he imposed. The Prime Minister spoke of a strong Canada and continues to repeat that ad nauseam today.

However, after more than a year, I fail to see any real benefits back home in my riding. I mentioned my riding, but this also affects the ridings of Lac-Saint-Jean and Jonquière, for example, because we are talking about the aluminum and forestry sectors, which are really struggling right now. There are three forestry companies in my riding, two of which shut their doors after briefly resuming operations. In short, the forestry sector is hanging on by a thread because the government is doing nothing to help it.

This all happened over the course of a year, but as I said earlier, I have been talking about this for 11 years. We could even say that people have been talking about forestry for 40 years, this sector that is of little interest to the federal government in everything it does. For example, the government asked Quebec to diversify our markets by exporting to Asia. There were programs for that, but that got us absolutely nothing.

I am thinking of the businesses back home, the people from Arbec, of course, all the workers who were laid off at the Outardes sawmill and all those families, because entire communities are being affected by the government's refusal to work together and listen. The government has decided that the money would go to one place but it is failing to understand the industrial fabric of Quebec and its regions, including mine. Today, I want to say that I stand with the families in my riding and elsewhere who are struggling to put food on the table.

It is the same thing in the aluminum sector. The largest aluminum smelter in North America, Alouette, is in my riding. Alcoa is there too. That sector is very strong. At the same time, we are sending the message that it might be a bit easier for large corporations to find other export markets.

Let us not forget all the SMEs, the main focus of today's debates, that are forced to shut down and face uncertainty and fear because the government is not doing anything. It says it is, but it is simply empty rhetoric. What is it actually doing? As my colleague from Jonquière mentioned, the government is offering new loans for businesses, but if it truly wanted to discuss things with people and businesses, it would be listening to what the unions are proposing. The Steelworkers, for instance, have made several proposals to help the various sectors. The same goes for the forestry and aluminum sectors. It is not only the unions. Sure, workers make proposals, but major corporations and SMEs also have demands. We have to listen to the people on the ground. They know what the needs are. They know better than we do, in our offices far, far away from our ridings. To figure out what the needs are, we have to be there on the ground and talk to people. The government is not doing that.

I will give an example. Yes, the Bloc Québécois is an opposition party, but we want to offer constructive opposition. What people back home are asking for is to keep their jobs. When a business has to close down because it is threatened by tariffs, it is important that it have the certainty that it will retain its employees and their expertise, and that these employees have the certainty that they will continue to receive a salary, in the form of a benefit. The employment relationship with workers is extremely important for all sectors, because it assures businesses that the workers will be there as soon as they resume operations.

We must not delude ourselves into thinking that workers are everywhere, readily available and properly trained. I live in what is considered a remote region, a rural community spanning 350,000 square kilometres with a population of 100 people, and we definitely need workers. When sectors of our economy are weakened, folks will leave the region and may never return. We are truly caught in a vicious cycle. This is what businesses, SMEs and workers are all asking for. They are simply asking that the government ensure this employment relationship can be maintained, as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone wants a strong economy, as the Prime Minister says. We must ensure that everyone has the tools needed to build a strong economy. Driving workers away is not a solution. Telling businesses to take on more debt when they are struggling the most is also not a solution, and that is exactly what the government is doing right now.

I was saying that the government was not meeting the needs, and I gave just one example. Not meeting the needs is one thing, but not anticipating is another. What we have noticed is that the government is always reacting to what is happening. CUSMA, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, and the negotiations are nothing new. They are cyclical, predictable issues. With the current President of the United States, I think we could have guessed that there would be obstacles, since he has been putting up roadblocks for over a year. Once again, there is nothing concrete in the government's economic update or in the measures that should be taken based on the renegotiation of CUSMA. Nothing is being done, and that is worrisome. The government is reactive.

With respect to the economic update, I listened to the Minister of Finance and he repeated slogans, which is just fine during a campaign, but now they keep coming back with slogans revolving around the sacrosanct notion of economic strength, but there is nothing for our sector.

When I told one of my colleagues on the government side that we no longer want this dependence on the federal government, it is because our money, Quebeckers' money, is not going where it would help. Quebec sends taxes to Ottawa—a fact that is sometimes forgotten—and we get money back while always being told, in a completely patronizing way, how to use it and what we should be doing in Quebec.

Right now, it is clear that this is not working. The government has decided to contribute to industries that are not the choice of Quebeckers. When they talk about pipelines and western oil and gas, that is not what we want at all. We want to develop in other ways. I talked about forestry and aluminum. That is what we do at home, and we do it well. We would like to see that money come back to us. Even a small percentage that could go back to the forestry industry would be extraordinary, but the government is not doing that.

In closing, I would like to urge and formally invite the government to revisit the proposals the Bloc Québécois has put forward to help the industries and to help the workers, because these are not two separate issues, and to invest in strengthening these sectors. I was particularly struck when the Minister of Finance unveiled the sovereign wealth fund. That, too, was almost a slogan. A fund that belongs to itself, that is the be all and end all, and will fix everything that needs fixing in Canada's economy. It is a fund that is actually a debt. Should we call it a sovereign debt or the Prime Minister's debt? I wonder. It is debt, and the government is choosing to go into debt for oil and gas projects when it cannot even support Quebec businesses, forestry companies and aluminum companies.

It is easy to see why we opposed the government's measures. I hope they will listen and take action, but it has been 11 years. I feel like I do not even believe in it anymore.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, to be very clear, the government, and particularly the Prime Minister, has been listening very closely. We have been working collaboratively with different unions, businesses and workers in general, understanding the issues surrounding the tariffed industries that are being so profoundly affected, whether steel, copper or aluminum and others. The lumber industry is another area of concern. We have been putting in supports and working with people to protect industries and assure the workers and the families of workers that the government has their backs. These are industries that we will continue to protect. We brought in a holistic approach in a suite of policies to build Canada strong for all Canadians in all regions.

I would not want the member to give the false impression that the government has not been doing anything, because nothing could be further from the truth.

Would the member not recognize—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I have to interrupt the member to give the member for Côte‑Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan a chance to respond.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that brings to mind a Dalida song.

We keep hearing about a strong economy. I would like the Liberals to come to my riding and tell the workers who have lost their jobs that there is absolutely nothing to help them maintain their employment relationship or get through this crisis. I would like the Liberals to come and tell them that the government has strong measures in place.

These strong measures mean more debt for businesses. What is more, no one knows when they will see this money, which could be put to use by the businesses themselves. They are being asked to diversify, but also to innovate. While this could be a viable option for some in a crisis, not everyone is necessarily in a position to do so.

In my view, the government has done absolutely nothing for the industry.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my Bloc colleague for putting this very important motion forward today.

Maybe my colleague could speak about how this government has completely forgotten forestry workers and the forestry sector, and how unfair it has been, in terms of government support for sectors that are struggling due to the harm and damage that Donald Trump's tariffs are causing Canadian workers in industry sectors, and forestry workers in particular.

We heard from the premier of British Columbia just yesterday. He spoke about how the forestry workers in B.C. have not been fairly treated compared to other sectors. We believe that those other sectors should be supported. I also know many forestry workers in Quebec are suffering.

I hope my colleague can share her perspective.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, all the credit goes to my colleague from Jonquière, who looked through the economic update. The words “forest” and “forestry” only appear four times, while oil and gas are mentioned some 150 times. It might be anecdotal, but it is indicative of the government's interest, or lack thereof, for the forestry sector.

What the government is really proposing is retraining. It is offering retraining programs for workers. That is sending a scary message. The government is telling workers that it is turning its back on them even though the economy is strong and it is doing all these great things. If they lose their jobs, all they have to do is retrain and find something else, because the government does absolutely nothing to support the forestry sector. That is what I am reading between the lines.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

There is a lot of noise in the House. I want to let the people in the hallways know that the House is in session. I would ask the people in the lobbies to help me out and make sure that the noise levels are kept to a minimum during House proceedings.

Questions and comments, the hon. member for Joliette—Manawan.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette—Manawan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, things always get a bit loud right before oral question period.

I want to congratulate my colleague on her speech. I also have some questions for her about forestry.

Can she explain to us again what we are proposing, what the industry and the unions are proposing, which is that the government take on part of the countervailing duties? Once the dispute is resolved, it will be returned to the industry, so the government would get its money back. This would allow the industry to continue exporting to the United States, despite the immoral and in fact illegal tariffs imposed by the irascible U.S. President.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, sometimes people say that to ask a question is to answer it, and that is what the member did.

However, it is true that there is money that is sitting idle, that is, the $4.4 billion that is being unused and that should be going back to the workers. The bottom line is that government has an opportunity to ensure that this money can be used by the industry to get through the crisis. This measure really comes at no cost to the government. The money is there, it is not being used. I do not understand why the government is not accepting this Bloc Québécois proposal, or the other proposals made today, which are all just as relevant and meaningful.

Community Service

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour Eva Hilborn, who is in her 100th year and whose life has been defined by service and an unwavering commitment to nurturing a love of learning in children. Born on a Manitoba farm in 1926, Eva began teaching at just 17 years old and went on to shape generations of students across British Columbia. In Port Alberni, she helped build early childhood education programs from the ground up, understanding that a strong start in life begins with books, curiosity and confidence.

Known to first nations families as “the book lady”, Eva has spent decades putting books into the hands of children and supporting education for young women. Her legacy will live in every child inspired to read and dream.

I thank Eva for the lasting impact she has made on generations of children and for a century of inspiring leadership and generosity of spirit.

Justice

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Bill C-16, the protecting victims act. The bill would give our justice system the tools to act before violence escalates and before it is too late.

Women are being hurt, controlled and isolated, most often by the very people they should feel the safest with. In Peel Region alone, police respond to roughly 16,000 incidents of family and intimate partner violence every year. That is 16,000 calls for help and 16,000 moments of fear.

Those are only the ones we hear about. Behind closed doors, in silence, there are countless more. Sometimes, that silence ends in tragedy. We call it femicide. Bill C-16 says clearly that this must stop. It recognizes femicide as first-degree murder and it acknowledges that abuse is not only physical. It is coercion, control and fear.

The need is urgent. I urge every member of the House to stand with victims, to stand for justice and to support Bill C-16.

Liberation of the Netherlands

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 81 years ago today, on May 5, 1945, Canadian Forces finally secured the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. It marked the end of a hard-fought campaign that began on D-Day in northern France, continued through a bitterly cold winter and brutal fighting along the Scheldt River, and concluded with the liberation of Arnhem and surrounding towns and cities.

Victory came at the high cost of the lives of 7,600 Canadian soldiers. From that sacrifice emerged a deep and enduring friendship between Canada and the Netherlands. It led to a wave of Dutch immigration to Canada after the war, including my own parents, and it continues to be honoured on both sides of the Atlantic. Earlier today, we reflected that legacy with a simple yet elegant flag-raising ceremony here in Ottawa, celebrating the lasting bond between two freedom-loving democratic nations. May the friendship endure.

Justice

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today again, and as well, to support Bill C-16, the protecting victims act.

The bill is grounded in a simple but powerful principle: that abuse and harassment are not acceptable, no matter whom they target, and we are not going to normalize that any longer. Bill C-16 puts the safety and dignity of victims first, especially women, children and survivors, by modernizing the Criminal Code to address coercive control and online exploitation.

Violence and harassment seldom start with a single act. They emerge through patterns of intimidation. I have experienced personally, as have many of my colleagues, deliberate middle-of-the-night calls meant to intimidate, using a number shared widely by email with incitement to harass. That is not civic engagement.

Bill C-16 recognizes those patterns and gives our justice system the tools to intervene earlier and to act. It also strengthens victims' rights and helps ensure that serious cases are not lost to delay. Bill C-16 helps ensure that safety—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier.

Youth in Portneuf—Jacques‑Cartier

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the end of the school year approaches, I am delighted to address all the graduates in my riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier.

I offer my heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of them. Their tenacity and determination have helped them reach this important milestone. The future belongs to them, and I hope it will be a happy and promising one.

A responsible government must keep our country's spending in check and reduce the deficit so that our young people can feel secure. I assure them of my commitment, as part of the official opposition, to work every day on behalf of our youth.

On a personal note, I would also like to add that I am now a proud grandfather. I have had the immense joy of welcoming little Éloïse into the family; she is the apple of her parents' and her grandfather's eyes. As the parent of two young adults, Charles-Antoine and Ann-Frédérique, who are just as much a source of pride to me as my little Éloïse, I hope that we can help our young people feel secure once again. Let us believe in their abilities. They have a right to their dreams.

National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, getting into politics means choosing to serve and advance our democracy. Personal attacks, intimidation and hatred have no place in our institutions or our society.

It is up to every one of us to foster an environment in which all people can contribute to public discourse with dignity and kindness. As we mark the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, we must continue to promote a society based on listening, respect and safety for all.

As chair of the women's caucus, I also want to emphasize women's significant contribution to public and political life in our country and our support for Bill C‑16. A strong democracy is one in which everyone is encouraged to participate and get involved.

Air Force Day on the Hill

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I went to Moose Jaw the way a lot of people do, through the Royal Canadian Air Force, and I decided to plant my roots and build my life in that community. The men and women I served alongside understood something fundamental: Discipline, sacrifice and excellence are not words on a page, but daily choices.

Today, we welcome the Royal Canadian Air Force to Parliament Hill for Air Force Day on the Hill.

I think of the instructors, technicians, aircrews, medics and support personnel at 15 Wing who keep our proud nation alive. NATO allies have sent their pilots there because Canada's training standard is considered the best in the world. Our air force is one of Canada's most vital national institutions, and the people who serve in it are among the best this country has to offer.

To everyone serving, past and present, we see them and we are grateful. Per ardua ad astra.

Red Dress Day

[Ginette Lavack, Liberal, St. Boniface—St. Vital, MB]

Mr. Speaker, today on Red Dress Day, we honour the memory of missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.

Across the country, and especially in Manitoba, this tragedy continues to affect families, communities, and entire generations. Every red dress represents a life, a story, and a profound loss.

Last fall, I had the honour of attending the announcement of the Manitoba red dress alert pilot project, led by the group Giganawenimaanaanig, which means “we all take care of them”. This important initiative reflects the commitment of communities to raising awareness, commemorating and advancing justice.

While this work is essential, much work remains. We must continue working in partnership with indigenous communities to end this national crisis and ensure the safety of indigenous women and girls.

Today, we remember, we listen and we act.

100th Anniversary of Rouyn‑Noranda

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

Mr. Speaker, perhaps this is nothing more than a tall tale that started in Rouyn, but in the early part of the last century, two Anishinabe hunters, the Mackimoot brothers, returned to their community with a glittering stone from Conia Asini.

Then, a prospector from Nova Scotia, Edmund Horne, took his canoe to the township of Rouyn. Once there, potentially as a result of contact with the Anishinabe, he discovered a huge copper deposit.

Shortly thereafter buildings began to spring up, including Jos Dumulon's famous general store, the Osisko Hotel, the Horne mine and smelter, and the house that belonged to my great-grandfather Eugène Lemire.

On May 5, exactly 100 years ago today, Rouyn became a town, a few weeks after Norcanda, which is what we would still be calling it today had it not been for a distracted printer. Rouyn-Noranda is the copper capital and self-proclaimed cultural capital of Quebec. It is also the capital of endless possibilities.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the incredible journey of our hockey team, the Huskies, who truly reflect who we are: often overlooked but hard-working, proud people with heart and soul who never give up.

I would like to welcome everyone to join us in the celebrations.

Kelly Morrisseau

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Kelly Morrisseau was murdered 20 years ago this year. This young indigenous woman, who was seven months pregnant, was found at the entrance to Gatineau Park, less than seven kilometres from Parliament. Twenty years later, her killer remains unknown.

There are thousands of Kelly Morrisseaus, young girls and women who have gone missing or been murdered. We have a duty to remember them. Today, on Red Dress Day, let us honour the memory of the women, girls and other people who have been murdered, as well as those who have gone missing, whose families have never been able to find them.

We know that indigenous women are overrepresented among victims of femicide, domestic violence and vulnerable living conditions, and yet the 231 calls for justice from the national inquiry still have not been addressed by the federal government. We know this is happening right under our noses, just like the murder of Kelly Morrisseau 20 years ago, less than seven kilometres from Parliament.

Let us remember and let us take action.