Richard Hébert

[Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the town of Alma in Lac-Saint-Jean provided the setting for a major event this week, a trade show hosted by the Unmanned Aerial System, or UAS, Centre of Excellence.

The TECH DEMO event was organized to showcase the latest technology developments in the UAS industry. The presentations were truly awe-inspiring. The innovation demonstrated by this centre of excellence in Lac-Saint-Jean impressed Nav Canada, Transport Canada and the National Research Council Canada.

I am very proud of the amazing work done by the UAS Centre of Excellence and especially by the mayor of Alma, Marc Asselin, and the CEO of the UAS Centre of Excellence, Marc Moffatt. The UAS Centre of Excellence is playing a key role in regional sustainable development. I am proud to support the success of Lac-Saint-Jean.

[Petanque World Championship, September 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, from September 13 to 16, Desbiens, a community in my riding, welcomed the world to the 48th edition of the petanque world championship.

Lac-Saint-Jean played host to participants from over 35 countries for this major competition. The players were also lucky enough to sample the world's largest tourtière, which will now be listed in the Guinness World Records.

I would like to personally thank the mayor, Nicolas Martel, for his bold vision and for organizing these extreme events, which attracted a lot of attention to our beautiful Lac-Saint-Jean region.

[Saint-Jean-Baptiste, June 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, seeing as we will soon be leaving for the summer, I would be remiss if I did not mention Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebrations.

For a long time, Saint-Jean-Baptiste was a Catholic feast day. In 1834, it became French Canadians' national holiday. Now known as Quebec's national holiday, Saint-Jean-Baptiste is also a celebration of the culture and language of all French-speaking Canadians. They are a vital and vibrant part of Canada's cultural life.

As one of Canada's founding nations, Quebec can be justifiably proud of its roots. It values openness, equality, its social safety net, and its arts scene. Its music, literature, films, and fine arts are a testament to its rich cultural heritage.

I would like to wish all Quebeckers, as well as francophones across the country, a happy Saint-Jean-Baptiste. Let us proclaim loud and clear that we are proud of who we have become.

[National Canada Survivors Day, June 4th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, National Cancer Survivors Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of June each year. The day is meant to demonstrate that life after a cancer diagnosis can be a reality.

Our government understands the impact that a cancer diagnosis can have on families and their loved ones. That is why we invest nearly $50 million a year so that we can continue to support organizations such as the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. The partnership has had a significant impact on the lives of Canadians through its work on prevention, early detection, treatment, and support for cancer patients.

Through the new historic investments set out in budget 2018, our government is ensuring that our researchers are well equipped to pursue their innovative work. I know that our government's measures are helping to ensure that more people are surviving cancer every day.

[Mélanie Paul, May 30th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Mélanie Paul is a well-known businesswoman in my riding.

Originally from the community of Mashteuiatsh, Ms. Paul used her background in both social service and entrepreneurship to establish many business partnerships that make use of indigenous knowledge and address social problems by providing high-quality jobs.

For her outstanding work and proactive leadership, Ms. Paul was awarded the young entrepreneurs award on April 27 by the Conseil du patronat du Québec.

As a humanitarian and a businesswoman, Ms. Paul is a role model for our entire community. I congratulate her on this well-deserved award. It is a testament to her accomplishments and her invaluable contributions to our region.

[Health, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic which, in Canada, took 50,000 lives. Unfortunately, there was no vaccine available at the time. As we are celebrating National Immunization Awareness Week, can the Minister of Health inform the House of our government's action on vaccinations?

[Taxation, March 1st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, since coming to power, our government has made every effort to ensure that economic growth benefits the middle class. Although the majority of Canadians work hard and pay their taxes, we know that some wealthy individuals and businesses use tax strategies to avoid paying their fair share.

Budget 2018 reiterates our government's commitment to fighting tax evasion and avoidance.

Can the Minister of National Revenue inform the House of the new measures that make our tax system fairer?

[Bike Race Across Lac Saint-Jean, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the Lac Saint-Jean bike race will be held from February 15 to 17. This event, a finalist in the 2017 Canadian Tourism Awards, is a way for many of my constituents and tourists to discover the beauty of Lac Saint-Jean in the winter by bicycling a 32 kilometre snowy ice trail.

This event boosts the region's tourism and economy. I would like to thank everyone involved in organizing it, directly or indirectly. Good luck to all the adventurers from around the world who will be participating in this unique event.

[Mental Health, January 31st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, for every text message, tweet, and retweet sent today using the hashtag #BellLetsTalk, Bell will donate 5¢ to mental health initiatives.

This high-profile nationwide effort is very important not only because of its mission, but also because it will help put an end to the stigma associated with mental illness in Canada. I am sure every one of us knows someone, a family member or friend, who has mental health issues. There are significant economic, social, and human costs associated with mental health problems. That is why I am so proud that our government is investing $5 billion to ensure proper mental health support for perhaps as many as 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25.

I therefore encourage all members in the House to talk about mental health, not only today, but throughout the whole year, in order to break down—

[Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2, December 4th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I missed the last vote because of an emergency, but I am now ready to vote.