Ruth Ellen Brosseau

[International Trade, October 17th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, it was confirmed today that the Americans are demanding an end to our supply management system within the next 10 years. They are also demanding 5% of our market. When it comes to protecting our supply management system, the Liberals are certainly used to kowtowing to our trade partners. For us, however, the protection of our supply management system is non-negotiable, and we will not allow it to be chipped away any further.

To avoid repeating the same errors that were made with CETA and the trans-Pacific partnership 11, can the minister confirm today that the Liberals will not allow the agreement to be chipped away any further?

[World Food Day, October 16th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, today is World Food Day, a day worth celebrating, but also a day for drawing attention to and addressing food security challenges in Canada and around the world. Does the House know that 800 million people worldwide go hungry and that that number has gone up by 38 million since last year? That is why the United Nations launched the Zero Hunger Challenge.

The goal is to mobilize governments, businesses, and civil society to eliminate hunger. This challenge is important because the right to food is a basic right. Canada, too, has hunger issues. Food insecurity is getting worse, especially in the north and in indigenous communities.

The government must support initiatives to reduce inequality, poverty, and food insecurity in Canada and around the world. Every month, 850,000 Canadians must rely on food banks. That is unacceptable. Let us work together to end hunger.

[International Trade, October 5th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, producers deserve a better answer than that.

The United States clearly wants greater access to our dairy market. Supply management should not be on the negotiating table, period. Producers must also know that the minister will not provide greater access to our dairy market.

I will therefore repeat my question: instead of spouting the same rhetoric, will the minister today tell Canadians and the dairy industry that she will not give the United States greater access to our dairy market?

[Women's Centres, October 5th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, today we have with us representatives of two women's centres in my riding, the Centre Avec des elles in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, and the Centre des femmes l'Héritage in Louiseville. They worked very hard to come visit Parliament and learn more about what MPs do in the House of Commons.

October 3 was national women's centres day in Quebec. I think we really need to emphasize how important women's centres are to our communities and support creating more of them.

Women's centres embrace diversity. They are places where all women can feel at home. They offer support, education, and so much more.

They bring women together and nurture feminist thought. They help women feel less isolated and advocate for women's individual and collective rights. In closing, I would like to thank Stéphanie Valée and Linda Provençal, who have both worked so hard to make today a wonderful day here on the hill.

[Shipping, September 28th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, in July we got confirmation that the devastating waves that caused considerable damage in Yamachiche and Pointe-du-Lac were the result of human error. A ship was travelling too fast despite the fact that several notices had been issued.

Despite myself and my colleague from Trois-Rivières having risen several times on this issue, we recently learned that nothing, absolutely nothing, is being done to compensate the victims in Yamachiche and Pointe-du-Lac. That is completely unacceptable. These people deserve justice.

Can the Minister of Transport confirm today that there will be a compensation plan for the victims in Yamachiche and Pointe-du-Lac?

[International Trade, September 25th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, that is not very reassuring.

As part of the NAFTA renegotiations this week, the United States and Mexico will primarily target our supply management system. Our farmers are worried about the Liberal government's ability to stand up for them. Time and time again, the Liberals have risen in the House and said that they support our supply management system, but behind closed doors they are opening loopholes in the Canada-Europe agreement and the trans-Pacific partnership signed by 11 countries.

Will the Liberals promise today not to open any loopholes in our supply management system, yes or no?

[International Trade, September 25th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's chief negotiator expects NAFTA renegotiations to include rules of origin, but that has not been discussed yet. Having heard nothing from the government, the auto sector is worried about the effects that changes to the rules of origin in a new NAFTA could have.

Given that there has not been any new auto plant built in Canada in 10 years and that several are being built in Mexico, can the Liberals be upfront with Canadians and assure them today that they will protect Canadian jobs in the auto sector?

[International Trade, September 20th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the dairy farm investment program is a total failure. No surprises there.

Many dairy farmers have hit a wall and will not be able to get the compensation they are owed because the program is underfunded. It is ridiculous. In less than a week, the program already handed out $125 million of the $250 million, while the losses are estimated to be at least $750 million. CETA comes into effect tomorrow and dairy farmers must and want to invest right now.

Will the Minister of Agriculture allocate more money to the dairy farm investment program or not?

[International Trade, June 19th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to stop repeating his talking points and reassure Canadians once and for all.

The Liberals cannot continue to hold Canadians in the dark when it comes to the renegotiation of NAFTA. Workers throughout the country are quickly losing confidence in the Liberal government and its ability to negotiate a good trade deal in their interest. In less than a month, the U.S. will reveal its final priorities, and still, deafening silence from the government side.

Canadians deserve a government that will stand up and fight for their jobs, so when will the government release its plans on the renegotiation of NAFTA?

[International Trade, June 19th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec will be in Washington today to talk about the NAFTA negotiations, and many Quebec mayors have already done likewise. Elected officials in Quebec no longer have any confidence in the federal government to conduct these negotiations.

I do not blame them after the government's failure to properly address the softwood lumber and diafiltered milk issues. Unlike those of the federal government, Quebec's priorities are clear: protect good jobs, protect supply management, and resolve the softwood lumber issue.

When will the government tell us what its priorities are for the renegotiation of NAFTA?