Alain Therrien

[Health, November 14th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, that is a futile answer.

The government members like to lecture us, but they cannot even print passports, manage the borders or process immigration files. What is more, La Presse reported on Saturday that they are not even capable of sending seniors their old age pension cheques. I could not make this stuff up. Last year alone, 70,000 new retirees had to wait months to get their pension.

Who would want these sanctimonious people to decide anything to do with health for seniors, or anyone else, when they cannot even figure out how to send them their cheque?

[Health, November 14th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, it seems as though health care funding is futile. That is what the Minister of Health said.

He considers it futile to ask the federal government to increase health transfers because, apparently, Quebec and the provinces are rolling in money. They supposedly have so much money and things are going so well in hospitals that it is futile to ask the federal government to contribute its fair share.

Has the Minister of Health spoken to emergency room doctors in Quebec about their futile situation? Has he told the nurses who are doing mandatory overtime that it is futile to provide adequate funding for health care?

[Committees of the House, November 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, we heard comments that were clearly unparliamentary. You agreed that his remarks were unparliamentary. If he were a gentleman, the member would stand up in the House and apologize for making those unparliamentary remarks.

[Committees of the House, November 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you for your ruling on the point of order I raised yesterday regarding unparliamentary language uttered by the member for Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation.

However, I had also asked for an apology from the member who made the unparliamentary comments. I would like to take this opportunity to ask him to withdraw his remarks and apologize to Parliament.

[Points of Order, November 2nd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, a number of us heard him. It is clear that those words came from him. I demand an apology.

[Points of Order, November 2nd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order regarding the member for Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation, who just left.

While the leader of the Bloc Québécois was asking questions, the member for Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation used unparliamentary language. He said, “Go home.”

I would first like to say that the leader was democratically elected by the people of Beloeil—Chambly, who chose him as their representative. That is what we call democracy. I would very much like the member to apologize for making those comments.

[Health, November 1st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, we have a Prime Minister who is trying to divide the provinces, and we know his intention is to isolate Quebec. He wants to negotiate an agreement on his own terms with the weaker provinces. He wants to be able to go to the Premier of Quebec last, present him with a fait accompli and say, “Here is the deal, so either sign it or get lost”.

I see that some people are wondering whether I am talking about this Prime Minister and the health transfers or his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and the night of the long knives.

[Health, November 1st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, our hospitals are at the breaking point. So said the Regroupement des chefs d'urgence du Québec, Quebec's association of urgent care chiefs, this morning. In a letter, they said that the lack of resources means emergency rooms can no longer care for people whose clinical condition is unstable and potentially fatal. Just days ago, the Toronto Star reported that the Prime Minister is plotting to undermine Quebec and the provinces' united demands for increased health transfers. He wants to divide them and force them to drop their $28‑billion demand.

Does he realize this is really not a great time for a ploy to deprive our hospitals of $28 billion?

[Health, October 31st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, we know why they are plotting, because they were so arrogant as to tell reporters. They are plotting because they want to isolate Quebec. They want to break the provinces and force them to back down and give up on the $28 billion they need for health care. They want to leave them nothing but crumbs.

The goal is to then go to Quebec and say, “Here is the agreement. Take it or leave it”. That is the predatory federalism we know and love.

Are the Liberals aware that that is called blackmail and that sick patients are paying the price for their blackmail?

[Health, October 31st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, the Toronto Star revealed the federal government's health transfer strategy and confirmed our worst fears.

The Prime Minister is refusing to meet with his Quebec and provincial counterparts as long as they continue to unanimously ask for a $28‑billion increase and 6% escalator. He wants to break them. He wants to negotiate one-on-one with the provinces that are likely to give in, to force them to give up on their demand for $28 billion in health transfers and accept his conditions. His strategy is to divide and conquer.

At a time when hospitals are bursting at the seams, why is the government plotting behind the scenes to deprive them of funding?