Pablo Rodriguez

[Canadian Heritage, March 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives think that culture is what one finds in a yogourt bowl.

They never raise it. They do not care about it. They stand up for the web giants and that is it—

[Canadian Heritage, March 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think my colleague understands what he is talking about.

If he is talking about Bill C-11, it is simply asking streamers to support Canadian culture. If he is talking about C-18, it is simply asking the web giants to support independent journalism.

One thing remains: the Conservatives keep filibustering things that are absolutely essential for Canadians. If they do not want to help, they should stay out of the way and let us do the job.

[Canadian Heritage, February 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that my colleague did not yell too loudly or he might have woken up his gang that has been asleep for the past year.

We have been debating this bill for a year. The Conservatives in the House are asleep. The Conservatives in the Senate are asleep.

In the meantime, we are working for the music, movie and television industry. We are working for Quebec and for all Canadians.

[Canadian Heritage, February 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP are certainly working in Quebec's interests.

It is like we are dealing with a groundhog that has just woken up from its winter slumber and is telling us how well it slept, now that it has finally woken up.

However, things were moving while the groundhog was hibernating. There were meetings in the House. There were meetings in the Senate. This is a good bill. We are going to move forward, even if the Conservatives do not want to.

[Canadian Heritage, February 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows the expression “to fall asleep at the switch”. Well, my colleague is taking it to a new level, to the point that there will be a photo of the Conservative caucus next to the definition in the dictionary.

The bill has been the subject of debate in the House and Senate for a year now. It is a good bill. The music, film and television industries have been asking for this bill.

I am happy that the Conservatives are taking an interest in it today, but it is a bit late. They have been asleep for a year.

[Canadian Heritage, February 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the bill was introduced over a year ago. On the House side, 12 meetings were held, 80 witnesses were heard and 52 briefs were tabled. On the Senate side, 31 meetings were held, 138 witnesses were heard, and there were 675 hours of study.

Is it only now that my colleague is waking up, a whole year later? Even Sleeping Beauty did not sleep that long.

[Official Languages, February 16th, 2023]

They care, Mr. Speaker. As for judgment, I am not so sure.

I am glad the Bloc Québécois is interested in French. It just had a whole opposition day, and members could have talked about the environment, our seniors, the fight against poverty or even French, but no, they got together and decided to talk about the Constitution. That is their priority.

Meanwhile, Liberals are working for all Canadians, including all Quebeckers.

[Official Languages, February 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I do not see what he is worried about, because the Bloc members will vote against a bill designed to strengthen French in Quebec and across the country and give the Commissioner of Official Languages more powers.

The Bloc Québécois-Conservative coalition is going to try to bring down a bill that is good for French everywhere.

We will take a stand and continue to fight for French everywhere in Canada.

[Official Languages, February 15th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C‑13 is a good bill. It recognizes that French is threatened and that more needs to be done to protect French both within and outside Quebec.

However, the Conservative-Bloc coalition plans to vote against this bill. It is doing everything to defeat it.

We, on the Liberal side, will continue to fight to defend French across the country.

[Canadian Heritage, February 15th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, we know that being a Quebecker means being able to reach out and that if there are disagreements over certain things, being able to work for the interests of Quebec. That is what we are currently doing with the Bloc Québécois and with the NDP, unlike what the Conservatives are doing.

Bill C‑11 is good for our artists, our producers and our artisans. It is good for the French fact and for French productions. The Conservatives want to kill this bill. Shame on them. It is good for Quebec and we will forge ahead.