Richard Martel

[Housing, April 15th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals would have us believe that they listen to people's concerns, but Canadians' reality suggests otherwise. In Saguenay, the price of a duplex has climbed 24% in the past year, and a Desjardins study suggests that things are going to get worse.

Young people want to own their own home, but they see no light at the end of the tunnel. When will the Liberal government put more money back in young Quebeckers' pockets so they can buy their first home?

[Committees of the House, March 26th, 2026]

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague and my Bloc Québécois colleague. I think they are doing great work. We also see that this is not a political issue. It is an issue that people really want to see resolved.

I know that my colleague is close to his constituents. The Liberals seem oblivious to what is happening on the ground. I would like to ask my colleague whether any constituents have spoken to him. I think it must be mentally difficult not to receive a cheque. I would like my colleague to tell us about some of the cases in his riding.

[Regional Economic Development, March 24th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, business representatives from Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean are here in Ottawa because they cannot wait any longer. The Prime Minister was supposed to reach an agreement on aluminum tariffs with the Trump administration. One year later, there is nothing, nada. Meanwhile, 57,000 jobs were lost in Quebec in February. Workers in the aluminum industry are paying the price. Contracts are disappearing, uncertainty is setting in and the regions are suffering.

Why is the Prime Minister abandoning our workers and businesses in the regions?

[Taxation, March 12th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the rising cost of living is hitting my constituents, Quebeckers and Canadians hard. We have the worst food inflation in the G7.

Despite this, the Liberals are determined to make life even more difficult by increasing the fuel tax, which is going up from 7¢ per litre to 17¢ per litre. That leads to higher prices for our farmers and our carriers.

When will the government put an end, once and for all, to these taxes that are a burden on Canadian families?

[Taxation, March 12th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the rising cost of living is hitting my constituents, Quebeckers and Canadians hard.

[Pensions, February 23rd, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, $5 billion is appalling. That is how much more Cúram is going to cost taxpayers. For the Liberals, that is perfectly normal. Worse still, it is impossible to get information on the private external consultants to whom most of this money is being paid. This lack of transparency has become the norm over the past 10 years. This is the federal version of the SAAQclic fiasco, except that it is costing five times more.

Why should seniors and taxpayers pay the price for this catastrophic mismanagement?

[Pensions, February 9th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the new Cúram software for managing OAS benefits is a complete disaster. Not only has it exceeded its projected costs, but it works so poorly that employees themselves give it a rating of 5 out of 10 or less. According to one employee, if the department had listened to public servants, they could have developed a system that was a thousand times easier to use.

Why should seniors suffer the consequences of this federal version of the SAAQclic fiasco?

[Valérie Maltais, February 9th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to La Baie native Valérie Maltais for bringing home Canada's first medal of the Milano Cortina Olympics by winning bronze in the 3,000-metre long track last Saturday.

This Olympic medal puts Saguenay, Quebec and Canada on the map. Valérie was named Speed Skating Canada's female athlete of the year in both short track and long track, and she has won various medals around the world, including Olympic gold in team pursuits. This is a testament to her determination and exceptional character. Her remarkable journey inspires our youth and reminds us that the greatest success stories can start in our communities and regions.

Chicoutimi—Le Fjord and all of Saguenay—Lac‑Saint-Jean wish her the best of luck in her upcoming events and in the rest of her career.

Thank you to Valérie for making us so proud.

[The Economy, February 4th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised that Canada would see the strongest growth in the G7. One year later, nothing has been done to reduce red tape and no anti-development policies have been fixed. There are more and more barriers, and investment is slowing down. According to Bloomberg, Canada's economy is on life support. Workers are feeling the pinch.

Will the Prime Minister finally unveil a plan to remove the barriers that are preventing Canadians from building, investing and working?

[The Economy, January 28th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals told us that they wanted to fast-track major projects. That is why we voted in favour of Bill C-5.

Today, we see that absolutely nothing has changed. No barriers have been removed. Red tape continues to slow things down, and permits are still not being issued in a timely manner. That is why the Conservatives are proposing the Canadian sovereignty act so that we can export more and build more.

Will the government vote in favour of our motion or will it continue to hold back the economy?