Luc Desilets

[25th Anniversary of a Rivière‑des‑Mille‑Îles Business, February 29th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of all the successful businesses in my riding of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles.

Today, however, I would like to recognize a particular company that is one of Saint-Eustache's finest assets: Vignoble Rivière du Chêne, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

As we know, Quebec's climate can be harsh and sometimes makes life difficult for our farmers and vineyards. Quebeckers are a resilient, innovative bunch, and Vignoble Rivière du Chêne is a brilliant embodiment of these values. The business has been growing steadily since 1998 under the watchful care of its owner, Daniel Lalande, and his dedicated team. They have developed an impressive product line that includes more than a dozen different wines.

I can attest that Vignoble Rivière du Chêne holds a special place in the hearts of our region's people. Happy 25th anniversary to a company that has become the pride of our region.

[Canada Labour Code, February 26th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, my question for my Conservative colleague is very simple, and it has to do with this anti-scab legislation. It seems that the Conservatives are against this bill. Once the Senate has passed this bill, it will take 18 months for it to come into force.

Can the member confirm that, if the Conservatives take power, they will tear up this legislation?

[Hooked on School Days, February 15th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, from February 12 to 16, we celebrate Hooked on School Days. This year marks the event's 20th anniversary.

As a former school principal, I greatly appreciate the continued efforts by teachers, support staff and everyone else who takes an active part in ensuring young people's academic success.

I want to pay tribute to the great work done by everyone who is involved in this amazing adventure that we call school.

I specifically want to highlight an initiative by the Centre de services scolaire des Mille-Îles, which is presenting the third annual Lumina awards. Fourteen members of the education community—teachers, employees, students, parent volunteers or partners—will be recognized through these awards.

This recognition is one of the many small gestures that celebrate the school system and encourage young people to stay hooked on school.

[Veterans Affairs, February 9th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the jury for the competition did get the results of the government's bogus survey, and it still chose the Daoust team. It did the right thing because Leger tore that survey apart. It said that the consultation “does not in any way represent the opinions of Canadian Armed Forces members, the families of Canadian Armed Forces members or the Canadian public”. I would also like to add that francophones were under-represented in the survey, as is unfortunately the custom in Canada.

Will the government finally grant the contract to the Daoust team and put an end to this sham?

[Veterans Affairs, February 9th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, we are not backing down over the national monument to Canada's mission in Afghanistan. This week, Radio-Canada reported that the Department of Veterans Affairs had warned the government that it was tarnishing its reputation by turning its back on Daoust, the team that won the competition. Of course it is tarnishing its reputation. It is tarnishing its reputation with all the design firms around the world, which have found out that Canada fudges the competitions. It is tarnishing its reputation with veterans by claiming to speak on their behalf based on a biased, fake poll.

Will the government backtrack and give the winning contract to the winning team, Daoust?

[Tragedy at Laval Day Care, February 8th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, one year ago today, people were horror-struck in Laval as a city bus hit the Ste-Rose day care, killing two of the children and seriously injuring many.

Last year, I was there with the leader of the Bloc Québécois. It was shocking to experience such emotions, especially for someone who has spent their life with children, as I did as a school principal,

In that tragic moment, some people were able to rise to the occasion and show compassion and admirable composure, such as Mike Haddad, who had just dropped his son off at the day care. He promptly acted to help the children trapped under the bus, in addition to controlling the driver, who was the suspect. Today, let us commend his extraordinary courage.

While we still do not understand at all what could have led the driver to commit such an appalling act, today we have a duty to think of the innocent victims and their grieving families.

[Business of Supply, February 8th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I would like to ask my hon. colleague, the minister, what he thinks of the fact that Quebec is so fed up that it is thinking of or would like to hold a referendum to repatriate all powers relating to immigration.

What is his response to that?

[Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023, February 5th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, the Conservatives are being disruptive, and not necessarily in a good way. They are relentlessly harping on the carbon tax, almost to the point of obsession, and that makes me worry for the future.

If that party takes power in Canada, how is Canada going to be able to sign even the simplest little international treaty? What will international relations with the rest of the world be like? I am worried about that, because we have before us an incredibly simple bill. I wanted to comment on that.

[Business of Supply, February 1st, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I find it interesting that the Conservatives have started sharing their election platform this week.

I have a very specific question for my colleague. Good intentions are all well and good, but what is the cost of doing away with the carbon tax? How much less money will be in the government coffers?

[Business of Supply, February 1st, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I found some aspects of my colleague's speech really interesting. She has done a great deal of research on this to justify the carbon tax, and I commend her for that. However, I would like to hear her thoughts on the following fact. In the last two federal budgets, the government introduced six tax credits that will total $83 billion by 2035. These tax credits are primarily intended for oil companies.

What does she think of that? Is that okay? Should that money not be invested somewhere else? She was talking about climate change. Should investments not target climate action?