Richard Martel

[Forestry Industry, September 24th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment's order is an affront to the regions of Quebec. It is another attempt by Ottawa to interfere in Quebec's jurisdictions. At least 1,400 jobs are in jeopardy. That means entire communities are at risk. The Conservatives understand that the impact will be disastrous.

Tomorrow, on behalf of all Canadians and Quebeckers, we will have the opportunity to put an end to this centralist government.

Will the “Liberal Bloc” allow Quebeckers to have their say during an election?

[Forestry Industry, September 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to this job-killing order, splitting the difference does not benefit anyone. Lives will be shattered.

For people in the forestry sector like Éric, Jean-Marc and Lise, the Girard family and the Tremblay family, the only possible positive outcome is to bring down this government before Christmas. The Bloc Québécois may have won in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun in Montreal, but it needs to listen to people in the regions.

What does the minister have to say to the at least 1,400 workers who will lose their jobs?

[Forestry Industry, September 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change has announced that he plans to wait until Christmas to impose his order. Satisfied, the Bloc Québécois quickly seized upon this announcement as a win.

Let me be clear. The “Liberal Bloc” will eventually introduce an order that will kill at least 1,400 jobs, shut down businesses and possibly wipe out communities. It is only a matter of time. We, the Conservatives, are the only ones who will cancel the order once and for all. Will the Prime Minister promise that his order will not cause the loss of a single job in our regions?

[Forestry Industry, September 19th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, with the cost of living, inflation and interest rates, Quebeckers already have a lot on their plate.

Now, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change wants to make life even harder for forestry workers by imposing his catastrophic order. Many of them are worried and wonder why he is choosing to go after them.

At the same time, the Bloc Québécois, which claims to defend Quebeckers, is supporting the Liberals by giving them its vote of confidence without even demanding that the order be revoked.

Will the Prime Minister think about the people and promise not to impose his order?

[Forestry Industry, September 19th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it was interesting yesterday in committee to be able to talk to forestry workers. They are very worried about their future. The Minister of Environment's order is putting at least 1,400 jobs in jeopardy, not to mention the closure of several businesses and the possible disappearance of some communities. If the Conservatives were in power, we would not be talking about an order.

That is why I do not understand why the Bloc Québécois is keeping the Liberals in power without negotiating the cancellation of the order. Why does the “Liberal Bloc” not understand that our regions need the forestry sector and our workers?

[Forestry Industry, September 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am curious to know whether the minister can even find Sacré-Coeur on a map.

Life is already hard enough with inflation, the cost of living and interest rates, but now the Liberals are adding even more stress. The only way to get rid of the order is to get rid of this government and replace it with a Conservative government. We know that the Bloc Québécois voted with the Liberals 182 times to keep them in power.

Will the Bloc-Liberal coalition leave forestry workers alone once and for all?

[Forestry Industry, September 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I have gone to Sacré-Coeur many times to meet with people from the Boisaco forestry company. The employees are feeling extremely insecure, and with good reason. They risk losing their jobs.

The order by the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change is a disaster for the forestry industry. It will kill jobs, close businesses and potentially wipe communities off the map. The industry represents 1,400 jobs in Quebec and $900 million in economic benefits.

Will the minister take into account the human beings behind his radical policies and guarantee that he will not impose his order?

[Forestry Industry, June 19th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of interfering in Quebec's jurisdictions, the Liberals are at it again, and as usual, they are targeting forestry workers.

We learned that the Minister of Environment, who is from Plateau-Mont-Royal, does not understand what is happening in the regions and that he did not even go to Saguenay to meet people in the industry. All he cares about is imposing his radical decree, which will be disastrous for the forestry industry, a key industry in the regions. We are talking about 30,000 jobs, 30,000 paycheques. My leader has rejected this decree. Enough with the radical ideas.

What is more, the Bloc Québécois believes that the federal government should interfere in Quebec's jurisdictions when it comes to the caribou. I am not the one who said it. It was the Bloc member for Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia. That is why the Conservative Party will always protect forestry workers and their paycheques, so that they can continue to do their jobs and feed their families.

[Forestry Industry, June 18th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, how many times has the environment minister come to Saguenay to meet with forestry industry representatives? Once? Twice? No, it is zero times. He cannot even be bothered to leave Montreal.

The forestry industry is crucial for us. He does not seem to understand that. He needs to stop being so stubborn and scrap his decree. Thousands of jobs are at stake, and that represents thousands of families. The Conservatives will always protect forestry workers' paycheques.

Can the minister respect Quebec's jurisdictions once and for all and leave forestry workers alone?

[Forestry Industry, June 18th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it is not for nothing that people are saying that the Minister of Environment needs to step down. Once again, he is going after forestry workers. He is jeopardizing thousands of jobs in Saguenay, even though Quebec has the largest network of protected areas for woodland caribou.

He wants to go ahead and impose his decree without understanding the social and economic impacts. A minister who lives in Montreal will never understand our regional issues. It feels like they want to shut down the regions.

When will the Minister of Environment stop punishing forestry workers, who are just trying to do their job and earn a living?