Richard Martel

[Finance, November 19th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is using his budget like a credit card with no spending limit. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that the government has no fiscal anchors left. In my riding, the Petit‑Saguenay sawmill is closing and 25 workers are losing their jobs. Families have no clue how they are going to pay their bills. In the meantime, the Prime Minister is spending like there is no tomorrow. What a gift to leave future generations.

Why does the Prime Minister keep putting our public finances in jeopardy?

[Forestry Industry, October 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to negotiate a softwood lumber agreement with the Americans. Today the forestry sector is threatened with tariffs of up to 55%. In my riding of Saguenay—Lac‑Saint‑Jean, 55% tariffs mean 8,000 jobs are at risk and families who will not be able to pay their bills at the end of the month. Our workers deserve better. Since this Prime Minister took office, tariffs have tripled.

Why do the Liberals always sell out forestry workers and their families instead of helping them?

[Forestry Industry, October 28th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister took office, U.S. tariffs on lumber were 14%. Then they rose to 35%. Now they are 45%, not to mention the possible additional 10% that is coming.

Back home in Saguenay—Lac‑Saint‑Jean, that represents $910 million in wages for our workers. Not only did the Prime Minister fail to negotiate an agreement, but tariffs have tripled since he took office.

Why is the Prime Minister abandoning forestry workers and their families?

[The Economy, October 27th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, food banks in Canada reported a record 2.2 million visits in a single month.

The CEO of Food Banks Canada has said that poverty and hunger have become normalized in Canada. People are stopping at food banks on their way home from work instead of going to the grocery store.

Inflationary deficits are driving up the cost of food. Why does the Prime Minister continue to spend more and more without caring about people who have nothing to eat?

[Forestry Industry, October 9th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber have doubled since this Prime Minister took office. The Forest Products Association of Canada has sounded the alarm. It said, “With over 200,000 direct jobs at stake, sector calls on the Government of Canada to bring the same urgency to lumber as it has to steel, aluminum...”.

Why is the Prime Minister abandoning the 200,000 forestry sector workers and the families that rely on those jobs?

[Forestry Industry, October 9th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economy is weakening at the fastest rate among G7 nations. The Prime Minister promised to negotiate a win with President Trump. Ultimately, after all the compromises that were made, workers in the softwood lumber industry are the biggest losers. The Prime Minister returned empty-handed from Washington. Even worse, softwood lumber was not even on his list of priorities.

The Prime Minister promised we would get an agreement that would remove all tariffs. Why has he not kept his promises once elected?

[Atlantic Halibut in the Saguenay Fjord, October 8th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud to announce that the scientific research on Atlantic halibut in the Saguenay Fjord is now complete and we are expecting a final report by the end of October.

The spectacular images that have come out of this project have sparked global enthusiasm and have been viewed millions of times around the world. This exceptional visibility has fuelled the creativity of our local businesses, inspired the creation of new artisanal products and revitalized regional commercial activity.

I would like to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of Contact Nature, Promotion Saguenay, the Musée du Fjord and Professor Sirois and his team at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, as well as the fishers and fish enthusiasts who carry on the proud tradition of fishing in the Saguenay Fjord. Through their efforts, this project has become a true collective success of which the entire region can be proud.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, October 7th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that the deficit has doubled, that $54 billion in investments has left this country and that 86,000 workers have lost their jobs. Canada is far from being the G7 country with the best economy. It is in last place.

We need to create wealth, but we are not competitive with this government in power. The Prime Minister promised to remove all tariffs on everything. Why is he not keeping his promises?

[Canada-U.S. Relations, October 7th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, people from the Saguenay aluminum sector are expecting results. As everyone back home knows, the Prime Minister was elected on a promise that he was the right man for the job of negotiating with the Americans.

Since his election, tariffs have doubled. Despite mounting concessions, companies are still adrift in uncertainty and Canada's in a more vulnerable position than ever.

What is the Prime Minister waiting for to live up to his promise and put an end to all tariffs?

[Canada-U.S. Relations, October 6th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the aluminum sector in Saguenay has been suffering even more ever since the new Liberal Prime Minister took office. We know that there will be a meeting with President Trump tomorrow.

To get elected, the Prime Minister clearly told Canadians that he was the right man for negotiating with the Americans. Today we see that the tariffs have doubled.

Does the Prime Minister finally plan to keep his promise to negotiate a winning agreement that will put an end to the tariffs?