Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. She talked about her work at the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology. We are currently into the second wave of the pandemic, and we know that many businesses in our ridings could face difficulties or even lose the fight altogether and go bankrupt.

Conversion Therapy  Mr. Speaker, the government has finally decided to not only ban but actually criminalize the practice of conversion therapy. According to several witnesses, some of these practices are more like torture than therapy. I will be very blunt. This practice, promoted and carried out primarily by religious groups, is based on the idea that homosexuality is wrong.

Proceedings on the bill entitled An Act relating to certain measures in response to COVID-19  Mr. Speaker, once again, we cannot oppose this legislation because we need it. Our local businesses are asking that the CERB be changed to include an incentive to work, something the Bloc has been requesting for weeks, even months. Once again, there is the issue of cynicism. The Liberals are putting parliamentarians back to work and then taking their work away as we return from a period of prorogation that took its toll on our economy and democracy.

Peschisolido Report  Madam Speaker, my colleague opposite spoke about turning the page, but on what? Is he talking about turning the page on WE? Turning the page on an important report that was to be tabled at the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, or on a report that was to be submitted to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women regarding the impacts on women?

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, no one in the Bloc believes that seniors are just a comma or a line in the Constitution. No one. However, for seniors the second wave means more health risks, more isolation and more anxiety. Seniors have enough anxiety already without adding financial stress to the mix.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, is the government trying to again tell us that the Quebec government is absolutely not responsible for seniors? The leader and the Deputy Prime Minister said so, as though they had discovered the one talking point that would silence us. I have news for them: We are going to keep talking about seniors.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her speech especially since we spent time together this summer studying the impact of the pandemic on women. We were in committee for a day and a half. We found that the time we spent was much too short. I must therefore deplore the fact that Parliament was prorogued because we only had the time to write one letter.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and for talking about the economy and regional prosperity with respect to small and medium-sized businesses. My riding of Shefford has a very strong entrepreneurial spirit and its vitality depends largely on SMEs in industries that will be adversely affected for a long time to come, particularly in the tourism and cultural sectors.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, let us talk about those who are most affected. COVID-19 has affected everyone, seniors especially. The majority of COVID-19 victims are seniors, and they have also been the most isolated, separated from their loved ones, alone and anxious. Now, they are the ones left out of the Speech from the Throne.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, in order to help seniors, we need to increase their purchasing power in the long term. The government has spent close to $400 billion since the beginning of the pandemic, and yesterday it said that this was not the time for austerity. Now is not the time for austerity, according to this government, except when it comes to helping seniors and giving a little more to those who built Quebec and Canada.

Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. I would like to hear her thoughts on the increase to old age security for seniors 75 and older, which was announced in the Speech from the Throne. This is a promise the Liberals made during the last election campaign. We also asked for an increase to the old age security pension for seniors, but seniors are still waiting.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, many seniors are living in precarious financial situations, which is why the Bloc Québécois has been calling for an increase in the old age pension and the guaranteed income supplement for quite some time. The pandemic has compounded this economic insecurity, since seniors have been hit hard by the effects of the lockdown and higher prices on so many things, including medication, rent, groceries and transportation.

Further COVID-19 Measures Act  Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech, particularly since he talked about seniors, a matter that prompted me to come to the House on a regular basis during the pandemic so that I could take a stand to improve their situation. I agree with him that we cannot continue to leave seniors out in the cold.

Further COVID-19 Measures Act  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her comments. She talked a lot about people with disabilities. She seems to really care about this. It is also an important issue for the Bloc Québécois. In fact, last month we proposed splitting Bill C-17 to give people with disabilities access to financial support so they could deal with the pandemic like many other groups.

Further COVID-19 Measures Act  Mr. Speaker, I think that the Bloc Québécois members were all prepared to leap to the defence of our constituents' interests. In fact, the wage subsidy was the Bloc Québécois's idea, because we believe in the importance of maintaining the employment relationship between employers and employees.