Pierre Breton

[Jean Lapierre, March 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, on March 29, we will be commemorating the one year anniversary of the tragic death of the late hon. Jean Lapierre. I would like to pay solemn tribute to this hon. member and minister who sat in this place for many years.

We all knew him as the distinguished member who represented the people my riding, Shefford, from 1979 to 1992. He also represented the riding of Outremont. Many know about his affinity for his native Magdalen Islands. Jean loved life and he left his family and friends with lasting memories of good times in his company.

His generosity, his love for his family, his political flair, and his determination will remain a tremendous source of inspiration for all hon. members of this House.

[Infrastructure, February 6th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, in early 2017, the government announced drinking water and wastewater treatment projects under the bilateral agreement with Quebec. Two weeks ago, five projects with $6.4 million in funding were announced for the Eastern Townships, 16 projects worth $82.9 million were announced for the Mauricie region, and 19 projects worth $61.3 million were announced in the Montérégie region, including four in my riding of Shefford.

Could the government provide an update on this program?

[J. Armand Bombardier Museum of Ingenuity, November 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, everyone here knows Bombardier as a leader of industry in Canada, and it should come as no surprise that that business was created in Valcourt, Quebec, in my riding.

It was none other than renowned inventor Joseph-Armand Bombardier who designed the first vehicle to glide across the snow in 1935. The Ski-Doo brand will be forever etched in our minds as the first snowmobile. A museum in his honour opened it doors in Valcourt in 1971.

The museum was recently completely renovated with a focus on ingenuity, one of the defining characteristics of its namesake. The museum is a source of inspiration, creativity, and innovation. The idea that the museum conveys is that we need to think bigger, pursue our dreams and ideas, and believe that anything is possible and within everyone's reach.

I invite all members of the House to come and visit this remarkable place to immerse themselves in the universe of this great inventor.

[Dairy Industry, November 14th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, CETA is great news for Canadian agriculture. The agreement will give our farmers access to the world's largest market. Our government understands the need to open up new export opportunities while protecting domestic interests.

As we prepare for the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement to come into force, can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food tell us how the government plans to help the dairy sector remain strong and competitive while helping producers and processors find new ways to innovate and boost efficiency?

[Shefford on the Hill, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to tell the House about the spirit and energy of the people of my riding of Shefford.

I am very pleased to see how many mayors, CEOs, and business leaders were interested in taking part today in an event that I am dubbing “Shefford on the Hill”. When I presented 20 municipalities in my riding with an opportunity to come meet stakeholders from various departments to learn more about the programs and support offered by the federal government for projects and priorities, the response was unanimous. This is a different and effective approach to making lasting ties between my riding and the federal government. One of the most important things to me as a member of Parliament is to facilitate exchanges between our local leaders and our government.

I therefore want thank these partners for taking the time to work with me on providing this opportunity to our riding.

[Paris Agreement, October 4th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my hon. colleague from Guelph for his passionate speech and for the various measures being implemented in his riding to protect the environment.

Our government is convinced that climate change is a challenge, but that it also presents opportunities. We can build an economy that will foster clean growth and help fight climate change, while creating well-paying jobs for Canadians and the middle class.

Does my hon. colleague not agree with this last statement?

[World Hip Hop Dance Championship, October 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to inform the House of the great accomplishment of the T.EENAGERS dance crew from École Tendanse in Granby. In August, the five dancers in the company won the gold medal in their division at the world hip hop dance championship in Las Vegas.

These new world champions from my riding are Coralie Dubois, Isanne Fleury, Alison Frendo, Alexia Hébert, and Kiliane Rufiange. They outdid themselves to bring home the gold medal and make Canada's national anthem heard. Like our Olympic athletes, these talented young girls persevered and worked hard for many years, and I am very proud to draw attention to their talent and accomplishments.

Making this announcement fills me with joy on my 50th birthday. I would like to thank my wife and my friends who came to hear my speech in the House today.

[Canada Labour Code, September 23rd, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I wish to congratulate my colleague for his excellent speech and his support of this bill.

I agree with him that unions are important partners in our labour relations, which must be based on co-operation, transparency, and respect.

Bill C-4 seeks to restore fairness and balance in order to improve our labour relations with Canadian unions.

My question is quite simple. I would like to give the hon. member the opportunity to provide a few more examples of the benefits of this bill.

[Committees of the House, June 7th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, our new approach is to ensure that we liaise and hold discussions with the industry. In my opinion, the industry is very proud to be involved in the various discussions.

Obviously, the trans-Pacific partnership will be discussed in the coming weeks and months in order to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the situation.

[Committees of the House, June 7th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. We talked about this earlier.

Last week I met with tens and even hundreds of dairy farmers in my riding and also on the Hill. They never talk about compensation. The farmers I met do not want monetary compensation. Let us be clear. They want the supply management system to be protected. They are proud of their system. They are proud of what the Liberal party established 40 years ago and how it protected supply management, how we are talking to them and how we consult them. They are also proud that we have entered into discussions to find fair and reliable long-term solutions.