House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 37% of the vote.
The Environment October 31st, 2018
Madam Speaker, as I said, supply management is integral to Canadian agriculture, and I can assure the House that we did indeed protect and defend it.
The government is determined to work with dairy, egg and poultry producers to identify the best ways to ensure they get the support they need and remain strong, dynamic and innovative at all levels of the supply chain.
The government's support for supply management has always been and will always be unwavering.
The Environment October 31st, 2018
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot for raising this important question.
The Government of Canada strongly supports the supply management system, farmers, their families, and producers. Dairy, egg and poultry producers and processors have strong roots in our economy and also in our regions.
Our supply management system is viewed around the world as a model of stability. The system guarantees fair returns for producers; predictable supply for processors; and high-quality dairy, poultry and egg products for consumers.
The USMCA maintains the three pillars of supply management: production control, pricing mechanism, and import control. The government defended our supply management system against American attacks, and we will not give in. We will continue to defend our national interests and Canadian values, all while supporting our agricultural sector.
Furthermore, our government has invested $2.2 million to implement proAction, a dairy-industry initiative focused on what today's consumers care about, like milk quality and safety, animal health and welfare, and the environment.
In 2018, we provided nearly $3 million to the poultry and egg industries to help them improve their capacity to develop new tools to fight against outbreaks of poultry diseases and become more effective at doing so, as well as to meet the stricter animal welfare, biosafety and food safety standards.
Over the next five years, the federal, provincial and territorial governments will invest $3 billion in the Canadian agricultural industry, including supply-managed sectors.
The Government of Canada is proud to help Canada's dairy, egg and poultry farmers build responsible and sustainable industries. For example, in order to help the dairy industry adapt to CETA, the Government of Canada invested $350 million to enable dairy farmers and processors to modernize, increase productivity and become more competitive.
Since the CPTPP was signed, the Government of Canada has been working with supply-managed industries to help them stay strong. On October 29, the minister announced the creation of new working groups for dairy farmers and processors. These working groups will bring together representatives from Canadian dairy organisations and associations, regional representatives and senior officials from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
The structure of the working groups was determined based on consultations with Canada's dairy farmers and the Dairy Processors Association of Canada. The working groups will develop mitigation strategies to fully and fairly support dairy farmers and processors and help them adapt to the USMCA. They will also discuss what support measures will need to be implemented as a result of the CPTPP's impact.
Evidently, We are currently working with the industry, and we intend to pursue and further develop this collaboration in the future.
“World War Women” Exhibition October 25th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, this week, I had the opportunity to open an exhibition called “World War Women”.
The exhibition, developed by the Canadian War Museum here in Ottawa, is on display at the Exporail Museum in Saint-Constant until January 6, 2019. It features the stories of women who made significant contributions to the war effort by supporting wounded soldiers and their families, both in Canada and abroad, and by manufacturing military equipment here at home.
I also want to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work done by Amella Zalewski, Kathleen McGrath, Molly Lamb Bobak and Edith Anderson Monture. Their contributions through volunteer organizations have helped women expand their horizons and play a vital role in the labour market.
With Remembrance Day just around the corner, I would be remiss if I did not also recognize the contributions of our veterans, the men and women who put their own lives in danger to defend this great country of ours.
Dairy Industry October 19th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, we defended our supply management system against the Americans' aggressive attempts at dismantling it.
Market access is similar to what the Conservatives had negotiated in the TPP. We are the party that implemented supply management, and we are the government that defended it. That is precisely what we we did. We understand that there will be impacts on our farmers, and we made a commitment to provide them with fair and full compensation to help them succeed.
International Trade October 5th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, we defended our supply management system against the Americans' aggressive attempts at dismantling it. Market access is similar to what the Conservatives had negotiated in the TPP.
We are the party that implemented supply management, and we are the government that intends to defend it. That is precisely what we have done. We made a commitment to compensate producers in a fair and effective manner.
International Trade October 5th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, we defended our supply management system against the Americans' aggressive attempts at dismantling it. Market access is similar to what the Conservatives had negotiated in the TPP.
We are the party that implemented supply management, and we are the government that intends to defend it. That is precisely what we have done. We made a commitment to fairly and equitably compensate producers.
International Trade October 5th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, we know that our farmers produce food of the highest quality for Canadians at a reasonable price and that they support the prosperity of our rural areas. We appreciate that there will be impacts on our farmers, and we are committed to providing them with fair and full compensation to help them succeed.
We will quickly establish a working group with farmers and the industry to help the process move forward. The Prime Minister, the minister and I met with many supply-managed farmers this week.
50th Anniversary of La Magdeleine Secondary School October 5th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, September 21 marked the 50th anniversary of La Magdeleine Secondary School in La Prairie. Founded in 1968, this school has seen generations of children grow up and generations of teachers come and go. As part of the celebrations, we were able to visit the school and attend the opening of the new running track and football field, where their team, La Milice, played a game.
Going to school is educational not just because it is where kids learn various subjects, but because it is where they learn everything. My brothers and I attended La Magdeleine when it opened a long time ago, and I have fond memories of that place. I remember being in the cafeteria listening to music by Quebec bands that were popular back then, such as Harmonium and Beau Dommage. The friendships we make at school last a lifetime.
I am sure that today’s students no longer listen to Beau Dommage, but like my brothers and I, they will make irreplaceable memories of their time at La Magdeleine.
Quebec Election October 3rd, 2018
Mr. Speaker, as you know, Quebeckers went to the polls on Monday. Today I would like to congratulate the people of my riding who exercised their right to vote. I would also like to congratulate everyone who helped the voting process go smoothly at all the polling stations. Above all, I would like to congratulate all the candidates. They care about the well-being of their fellow citizens, and by participating in the election, they have contributed to our democratic tradition.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the outgoing MNAs who worked so hard for the people of Sanguinet, La Prairie and Châteauguay. On Monday, the people of Quebec elected Coalition Avenir Québec to represent them for the next four years, and the people of my riding were on board, electing Danielle McCann in Sanguinet, Christian Dubé in La Prairie and MarieChantal Chassé in Châteauguay.
I would like to congratulate them on their impressive victory and wish them all the best in the years to come. There is nothing I want more than to serve families alongside these new MNAs.
Farmers' Market in La Prairie June 20th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, the Marché des jardiniers in La Prairie is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The minister and I will be heading there next Monday to mark the occasion.
Three Montérégie farmers, Paul Boudrias, Honoré Daigneault, and Moïse Riendeau, led the initiative to create the market in 1968, supported by the Société de l'agriculture de La Prairie. Three generations of vegetable producers have followed, which shows the market's popularity. There are 96 stalls accommodating about 30 merchants.
The Marché des jardiniers is a very special place in my community. It is where customers can meet their farmers, where they can see for themselves the quality, freshness, and variety of products on offer, while speaking directly with the people who work so tirelessly to produce them.
To highlight the importance of those relationships, I wish to salute all producers and the Quebec Produce Growers Association. These are the people who feed our families, and they are the driving force behind our vibrant local agricultural sector.