Caroline Desbiens

[Maxime Boulay, June 19th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, they were pulling lobster traps on May 27, off Forillon, in the Gaspé, when a beam sea capsized the Malbaie Star. What could have easily become the St. Lawrence's worst maritime tragedy in a very long time was avoided thanks to Maxime Boulay.

Four of the five men ended up under the boat. Only Maxime managed to hold on to the upside-down hull. Numb from the ice-cold water, he dialled 911 and also managed to call the nearest boat, belonging to Steeve Boulay. Then, one by one, he pulled his four co-workers back onto the hull and kept them out of the water with him. Twenty minutes later, Steeve Boulay's boat and his crew brought them back to shore. Still reeling from the shock, some no longer want to go back out to sea, but at least they are all alive.

The entire Bloc Québécois team would like to commend Maxime on his mental strength and courage. Without him, four Quebeckers would have left us. Well done, Maxime Boulay, and thank you.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1, June 18th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her faith.

I would like to bring her back to familiar territory: common sense. Back home, growing up, my father often talked to us about common sense. Common sense relates to a set of elements that everyone, or almost everyone, agrees on.

Is my colleague's party seeking unanimity? After all, there is a part of the population that is worried about climate change and the astronomical contribution of billions of dollars in taxpayer money that is invested in oil companies that are already worth many billions of dollars since they make a lot of money.

Since my colleague is for common sense, I would like to know if her potential government will stop investing in oil companies that already have billions of dollars. I would also like to know if she is going to increase health transfers to the provinces so that they can use them how they want and breathe a bit of life back into their health care networks.

[Business of Supply, June 13th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I am always blown away by just how much the Conservative Party leader fancies himself a god who will solve all the problems with his magic wand. I find it fascinating.

First, is the Conservative Party leader able to stop infantilizing Quebeckers about the choice they will make on their mobility?

Second, if one day the Conservative Party leader becomes prime minister, would he commit to giving Quebec the money it needs to be able to make its choices and decide about its mobility for itself? Does he pledge to commit these funds without conditions?

[Business of Supply, June 6th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I will ask my colleague to state his position on the very short 14-day deadline for the production of the documents that need to be translated. This is a good opportunity for the Liberal government to redeem itself, given the affronts Quebec has suffered in recent weeks on the subject of the French language.

Can my colleague state his position and explain to our Conservative colleagues that 14 days is not enough time to have the documents translated into both official languages?

[First Nations Clean Water Act, June 5th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I am feeling a bit intimidated given my new status as a water warrior. I figure I really need to ask a question that lives up to my title.

I would like to thank my colleague from the neighbouring party here. He is raising awareness about the fundamental issues surrounding access to water. We share the exact same position.

I would like him to discuss the urgent and unacceptable nature of the fact that we are still discussing the need to provide first nations with access to water. Countless people still do not have access to drinking water in first nations communities. I would like him to comment on the fact that this is taking so long.

We should not be talking about this anymore. Everyone should have access to water in this extraordinary land that is home to 20% of the world's drinking water reserves. This is a disgrace. I would like my colleague to comment on the fact that this has taken so long and we are still—

[Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Act, June 5th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would like to seek unanimous consent to change my vote. I want to vote no. My colleagues asked me to say it in song, but I will refrain from doing so.

[Réginald Charles Gagnon, May 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the great Acadian country singer Cayouche has passed away at the age of 76 after a battle with cancer.

Réginald Charles Gagnon, his real name, lived a very full life and had an outstanding career. Far from the spotlight, he built a loyal following by telling stories about his friends, his heartbreak and his travels.

For those who were not fortunate enough to know him, we can say that he was a cross between Willie Nelson and Willie Lamothe. For those who did know him, we can say that those two singers both had a little bit of Cayouche in them.

With his guitar on his back, he played everywhere, in small towns and at big festivals. The inimitable Cayouche was truly unique. Some of his songs include La chaîne de mon tracteur, Le frigidaire de mon chum, Mon bicycle, ma musique and C'est ça mon Acadie. He is one of the most successful Acadian artists, with more than 100,000 albums sold.

We would like to extend our condolences to his family, friends and fans. We join all of our Acadian friends in hoping that he is met at heaven's gates with a nice, cold Alpine.

I say goodbye to Cayouche.

[Business of Supply, May 23rd, 2024]

Madam Speaker, we share a certain affinity in our way of seeing society. The NDP's values occasionally intersect with ours. On certain matters, however, we have a very hard time seeing eye to eye. We often see the NDP, at the risk of being inconsistent, abandon its values to align itself with a government so it can say that it came up with a certain idea or that it is the one changing people's lives.

In reality, these are palliative measures. The NDP government's proposals are palliative proposals. What we want is to create an economically healthy Quebec, and that will require the unconditional health transfers that Quebec is owed.

[Business of Supply, May 23rd, 2024]

Madam Speaker, this is a good opportunity to remind my colleague that, like him, more than 18,000 people democratically placed their trust in me and my voice to represent their interests and convictions and, above all, to exercise extreme vigilance when it comes to federal government manipulation in Quebec's intrusions, among other things. We, the 32 members of the Bloc Québécois, were given this mandate because members of the other parties who are from Quebec failed at the task. That is why I am sitting here, and I am proud of it. When I leave, I am going to buy my chair.

[Business of Supply, May 23rd, 2024]

Madam Speaker, this goes back to what I was saying earlier: The federal government starves the provinces, it starves Quebec, it underfunds it, and then it comes along like a hero and claims to be nice and kind by finally giving us a few crumbs. The federal government is making seniors poorer. It is leaving the health care system worse off. Think of housing, too. Instead of giving the money to Quebec, which knows perfectly well what to do in its own jurisdictions, the federal government would rather take the money away and impose conditions for writing a cheque, when Quebec is fully competent and capable of doing all this itself.