Bernard Généreux

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are cooking up a plan for our Canada Elections Act in order to cause confusion 18 months out from the next election.In Quebec, voters are used to showing a health insurance card, a driver's licence, a Canadian passport, an Indian status card, or a Canadian Forces ID card. No one is excluded.Why are the Liberals trying to undermine the integrity of our electoral system?

Mr. Speaker, a Quebec network of women's shelters condemned the fact that a Montreal man accused of killing his wife was released because of unacceptable court delays. Premier Couillard and Minister Vallée are appealing to the federal Liberals to take urgent action to address their failure to appoint judges to fix this problem.How many other individuals who have committed crimes against women will walk free before the self-styled feminist Prime Minister decides to take action and overhaul his worthless selection and appointment process?

Mr. Speaker, the former attorney general wants to speak because this is a serious matter and certain questions remain unanswered. However, the supposedly independent Liberal members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, have, at the Prime Minister's behest, been playing games to prevent the former attorney general from speaking.Canadians who want answers will have to settle for a sham investigation by the person who was the Liberal deputy prime minister under Paul Martin. What a joke.What are the Liberals trying to hide from Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the severe drought of 2018 was even worse than the drought of 2017. Quite a few farmers in my riding and many other regions of Quebec experienced major losses. Unfortunately, some of them are on the verge of giving up farming because agristability payments amount to little or practically nothing.Quebec's ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food, the Financière agricole du Québec and the Union des producteurs agricoles have all asked the Liberal government to revise how it calculates losses.When will the government take action on this?

Mr. Speaker, last November, the Prime Minister said that he would be happy to renegotiate NAFTA with President Trump, without knowing what sectors the American administration would target in those talks.After meeting with dairy farmers in my riding, I can say that their biggest fear is that they are going to be used as a bargaining chip. After the American president attacked our dairy producers last month, can the Prime Minister assure us that producers under the supply management system will not be treated like they are unimportant or, even worse, used as a bargaining chip in the negotiations with the United States?

Mr. Speaker, the voter information card is not a piece of ID. Many of them end up in recycling bins. Elections Canada admitted that in 2015 nearly 400,000 of them contained errors. In Quebec, voters are already used to having to present a health card, driver's licence, Canadian passport, Indian status card, or a Canadian forces ID card.Can the Liberals tell me what class of citizens is excluded from this list?

Mr. Speaker, this week, the former attorney general testified that she was inappropriately pressured by the Prime Minister over the criminal case involving SNC-Lavalin. Sonia Lebel, the Attorney General of Quebec, agrees that this is extremely troubling.Gerald Butts, the Prime Minister's closest advisor and friend said there was no solution that did not involve interference. By implicating himself in the obstruction of justice, the Prime Minister has lost the moral authority to govern. When will he resign?

Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised an open and transparent appointment process for the new official languages commissioner, but what they delivered was the most partisan appointment ever. Madeleine Meilleur, who was angling for a Senate seat while at Queen's Park, told the committee quite plainly yesterday that she contacted her former colleagues, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, the two people in the Prime Minister's Office with the most clout in the selection process. That is what you call coming up with a plan B.Will the government finally admit that this appointment was nothing more than a $315,000 consolation prize to help a good friend—

Mr. Speaker, the advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs not only accused NATO of amplifying threats, which are already serious in Ukraine, but he also invited Israel to reach out to Iran, the same country that wants to destroy the only democratic state in the Middle East.Can the minister tell us if he advises his Israeli counterparts to unconditionally embrace a country that is threatening to destroy their nation?

Madam Speaker, the United States took this Liberal government to the cleaners during free trade negotiations. One-third of Canadian exporters are already affected by American steel tariffs. Garant, a big, wonderful company in my riding, has been doubly affected since May 1 because of Canada's 25% tariff on raw material, which is jeopardizing its competitiveness and jobs.Instead of settling for a new tax, why has the Prime Minister not taken action to settle this dispute and get these tariffs dropped on both sides of the border?

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to judicial delays, the minister is trying to buy time by meeting with her provincial counterparts. In reality, all she has to do is read the newspaper, listen to the radio, and watch television. Everyone is laying the blame squarely on her shoulders, because the reality is this is in her wheelhouse.The judicial appointments advisory committee for eastern Quebec has yet to be created. The seven seats have been empty for a year and a half now.Can the Prime Minister explain how his minister is supposed to appoint judges when the committee has yet to be struck ?

Madam Speaker, last week I had the pleasure of visiting Abitibi. I heard from a number of stakeholders, including the cities of Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d'Or and several members of the tourism sector, that they are worried about NAV Canada's plan to eliminate air traffic controller night-shift positions in this area.I would like the minister to reassure the people of Abitibi and clearly tell them that the government will not let NAV Canada entrust the safety of the public to robots just to save a few dollars.

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives wanted to protect the integrity of our electoral system, they allowed for 84 hours of debate. I repeat, 84 hours of debate. When the Liberals introduced Bill C-76 to rig the election in their favour, they invoked closure to put the bill to vote yesterday, after just two hours of debate.What are the Liberals afraid of? Are they afraid of losing the next election?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals eliminated the position of minister responsible for the economic development of Quebec upon taking office, Quebec entrepreneurs and job creators lost their voice in the federal government. Not deviating from their policy to centralize all the power, the Liberals are claiming that a minister from Toronto, who rarely sets foot in Quebec, can properly represent the entire country.When will the government stop ignoring the regions of Quebec and those of its residents who do not have enough money to pay $1,500 to get access to the Liberals?

Mr. Speaker, this week, Clément Massé, president of the Barreau du Bas-Saint-Laurent-Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine expressed his concern about the lack of Quebec Superior Court judges. This situation will likely only get worse in the coming weeks because Justice Landry from Gaspé is retiring.Given the already unacceptable delays in the court system, will the Minister of Justice get out of her bubble in Ottawa and Vancouver and quickly review the selection process to fill the empty positions in our regions, or would she rather see dangerous criminals released because of her failure to act, as we saw yesterday in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals boasted about invading the privacy of more than one million Canadians by obtaining their personal financial data without their consent. It got to the point that the Privacy Commissioner launched an investigation.This is like me going to someone's home, breaking down the door and once in the living room, asking permission to enter. That is exactly what they are doing.In just one week, 20,000 Canadians have already signed a petition and shown that they are clearly against this invasion of their privacy.What is the government waiting for to put a stop to this practice?

Mr. Speaker, I am going to give the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons a chance to repeat himself yet again.For weeks now, the Liberals have been claiming that their fundraising activities involving privileged access benefiting the Liberal Party of Canada, not the needs of the state, are held in compliance with the rules. The state and the Liberal Party are two completely separate things.Will the Liberals pull their heads out of the sand and admit that their activities are unethical, that they are undermining Canadians' trust in our democracy, and that they do not comply with the rules that the Prime Minister himself put in place?

Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned in La Presse that the Minister of Public Services and Procurement took the time to visit the Irving shipyard and met with Irving executives on a number of occasions. However, her office systematically refused requests to meet with people from Davie and to attend the unveiling of the ship Asterix.Does she have some kind of problem with Quebec? Is this government, known for creating an $8-million skating rink slated for a two-month run, afraid that a company like Davie will make others in Canada look bad?

Madam Speaker, the Liberals are determined to centralize power and ignore the regional diversity of our country. Prior to the election of the Liberals, Canadians could expect real leadership from their regional ministers, skilled ministers who were very familiar with the unique characteristics of the regions and provinces for which they were responsible. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell us what he really knows about Quebec's economic priorities?I would also like to know how many times the minister has travelled east of Montreal.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to give this a third try.Quebec and Manitoba have made it clear that they do not want home cannabis cultivation. That is as clear as can be, but the Minister of Health had no intention of considering the Senate's thoughtful amendments. She made her decision without even taking the time to talk to the provinces about it.The people of Chicoutimi sent a very clear message: they have had enough of the “Ottawa knows best” attitude.Will the Prime Minister now respect the provinces?

Mr. Speaker, over 10 years after the Gomery Commission exposed for all Canadians to see the culture of corruption that pervaded the Liberal government of the day, a central figure in the sponsorship scandal and close friend of the Liberal Party has been found guilty of influence peddling, forgery, and money laundering.Will the government learn from the past and finally follow the ethics rules imposed by its own Prime Minister when it comes to fundraising?

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. government just announced new tariffs to the tune of 20% on Canadian softwood lumber imports. The Prime Minister promised on March 10, 2016, that a new agreement would replace the one reached by the Harper government and that it would be concluded within 100 days. It has now been more than 400 days.The Liberals still do not have an agreement, jeopardizing the 370,000 direct and indirect jobs in Canada's forestry sector.Why is the government waiting and why did it wait to do something about this?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself is the one who misled Canadians. He said that the SNC-Lavalin story was not true. Obviously that is not the case. Then, he said that no one had come to him with their concerns, which is also not true.If he really believes that telling the truth would be defamatory to him, when will we see him in court?

Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the week, the Prime Minister has enjoyed talking about his election platform, so let us talk about it. On page 31 it says, “The status quo is not an option: the Senate needs to change.” The Liberals announced that a committee of five people appointed by the Prime Minister would make recommendations to him on who to appoint to the Senate in future.Will the Liberals make real change to the Senate and put an end to the status quo?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals came to power, there were four viable private-sector pipelines. Now there are none.How many other private enterprises does the Prime Minister intend to first sabotage and then go behind the scenes to nationalize for billions of dollars? Is this his attempt at making his father's dream come true with national energy program version 2.0?

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the Prime Minister stated that the budget would balance itself. Once elected into office, the Minister of National Revenue thought that by giving $1 billion to her officials she would find $25 billion. That has not happened. However, Nova Scotia sculptor Steve Higgins just received a $14,000 tax bill because the CRA considers his work to be a hobby. Having gone after single mothers and people with disabilities, the Liberals are now trying to balance the books on the backs of honest workers, like Mr. Higgins. Why?

Mr. Speaker, an hour ago, in my home town of La Pocatière, the best employees in the world, employees of Bombardier Transportation, held a peaceful protest to show that they have the ability, expertise, passion and determination needed to build VIA Rail's future fleet.However, the transport minister is already washing his hands of this by hiding behind free trade. Meanwhile the deal that the Prime Minister just signed with Donald Trump still allows the United States to require that Amtrak trains be built in the U.S. with 70% American content.Why did the Liberals give up so easily and not ask for anything for Canada's regions?

Madam Speaker, the Liberal government remains out of touch with the realities of the forestry industry and the regions of Quebec.It is urgent that the government negotiate a softwood lumber agreement and put an end to the uncertainty surrounding the woodland caribou. Unfortunately, the government does not have enough information to make informed decisions on this issue.The Minister of Environment likes to claim that her decisions are based on science. Will she make sure that her department learns more about the woodland caribou so that an informed decision can be made without giving in to the blackmail of activists?

Mr. Speaker, since farmers signed on to the crop insurance program several years ago, they expect fair compensation for the losses they have suffered. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has even acknowledged an error in its method for evaluating losses and said it is prepared to go ahead with adjustments for 2019. However, we have learned that it refuses to do anything about 2018, at the expense of farmers who suffered from last year's extreme drought. Why are the Liberals turning their backs on the farmers in my riding and across eastern Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, workers in my riding who go to work every day at the Davie shipyard are extremely proud to have delivered the supply ship Asterix to the Royal Canadian Navy on time, on budget, and at the lowest price.A second ship urgently needs to be built in order to meet the navy's operational needs, but the Liberals are standing in the way.Will the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Procurement go to Lévis this Sunday to explain to the workers how they plan to use a single ship to resupply a navy fleet that patrols three oceans?

Mr. Speaker, first, the Prime Minister accepted an invitation from the Aga Khan to visit his private island. Then, we learned that the island in question does not in fact belong to the Aga Khan but to four companies that have been linked to tax evasion.Given this blatant conflict of interest and all of the questions that have been raised about this over the past few months, is the Prime Minister still happy about his choice?

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Department of Commerce levelled a direct attack on our forestry producers last month with new tariffs on softwood lumber. According to Michael Froman, the former U.S. trade representative, the Liberal government had an opportunity to sign an agreement last year with an offer from the Obama administration, but it chose to wait, thinking it would get a better deal with the Trump government.What is up now?

Mr. Speaker, this is another example of the Prime Minister saying one thing and doing another.As hon. members know, the Prime Minister sure does like to talk about transparency. However, he appointed the new Speaker of the Senate without consulting anyone. He appointed a Speaker who cannot even speak both official languages. Was it more important to appoint a close friend of the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons than to appoint a bilingual Speaker to the Senate?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages denounced the fact that French language proficiency tests for prospective immigrants to Canada can cost twice as much as their English equivalents. However, the Constitution clearly states that official languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions within the Government of Canada. What does the government plan to do right now to ensure that the law is respected and that francophone immigration applicants do not have to pay more for exactly the same service?

Madam Speaker, I am going to try to get some answers from the Minister of Finance's pet parrot.A car dealership in Rivière-du-Loup is planning to invest $5 million in the coming year to expand its services and its client base. That investment could not have happened if the owner had not been able to grow his long-term investment returns, which the Liberals now want to tax more heavily as part of their unfair reform. Why do the Liberals want to penalize businesses all over Quebec, including in my riding, while leaving the Prime Minister's fortune and that of the Minister of Finance untouched?

Mr. Speaker, the 2016 census figures show a worrisome trend in eastern Quebec. While the population of Canada increased by 5% over the past five years, the population of the Lower St. Lawrence region and the Gaspé dropped by 1.3% and 4%, respectively. Will the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development commit to scrapping the disastrous policies that prevent our businesses from keeping jobs in the region, or would he rather see our young people continue to move to large urban centres?

Mr. Speaker, today, I welcomed to Ottawa over 40 elected officials from my riding who have infrastructure projects they want to carry out. Despite the Liberals' promise to invest $180 billion over 10 years, there is no program under which they can apply for funding for their projects.The mayors of Kamouraska and Rivière-Ouelle want to fix up their waterfronts to make them major tourist attractions in their communities. Could the minister responsible for Canada Economic Development tell us why his department will no longer fund this type of project in our rural regions, which have been abandoned under this Liberal government?

Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government had not imposed arbitrary deadlines on the Connect to Innovate program, and if it had listened to the regions in Quebec and Canada, there would be no need to change the dates today as it just did. By all accounts, the minister from Toronto knows very little about Canada's regions.Will he extend the deadline by another two or three months, since the municipalities are unable to submit plans under the current program?We had also asked for more money to build cellphone towers in our regions because of the significant problems we have in Canada.Can the minister tell us when we can expect to have that money?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Canadian Heritage claimed that she was part of an exemplary government that is leading the way when it comes to official languages.If that is indeed the case, how does she explain the fact that the Commissioner of Official Languages received 40% more complaints in the past year and that, yesterday, her colleague, the Minister of Environment sent my office here in Ottawa a letter written in English only about my riding, one of the most francophone ridings in Canada?Can the Liberals spend less time appointing their friends to important government positions and—

Mr. Speaker, after defending himself for weeks by claiming he had supposedly followed the rules of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, the Minister of Finance was found guilty of having hidden his French company. For two years, he also hid his assets in numbered companies, which allowed him to make millions in profit off industries that he, as a minister, is supposed to regulate in an entirely neutral fashion. These actions fall well short of meeting the highest standards of honesty and impartiality required of him in his mandate letter from the Prime Minister.Why do all the Liberals feel they are above the law?

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives implemented a rigorous environmental assessment process enabling Canada to meet its economic and energy needs, all while ensuring that approval decisions are based on science. With Bill C-69, the Liberals are trying to turn this process upside down, even though it works very well.Can the minister tell us which projects approved under the former process she does not agree with? Which projects would she like to see fail?

Mr. Speaker, times are tough for the forestry industry. Major issues, such as job losses and the renewal of the softwood lumber agreement between Canada and the U.S., are creating uncertainty in this industry, which accounts for least $20 billion of Canada's economy.All regions of Quebec and Canada would be affected if the agreement were not renewed, especially my region of the Lower St. Lawrence.Why is the minister taking so long to finalize an agreement that is so important to our country and to all regions in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, if I may, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the infamous letter I received from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, which was sent to me in English only. Here in the House and in committees, we respect official languages, so this is totally unacceptable. I seek unanimous consent to table this letter.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Transport threw in the towel before the contract for new Via Rail trains was even awarded.Today, the Government of Quebec is asking that no decision be made until all the bidders have submitted their best final offer.Will the minister at least require Via Rail to allow Bombardier Transport to submit its best offer or will he just send these jobs to California instead of Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, the government promised small deficits of $10 billion for the first two years and a balanced budget in 2019. However, we have since found out that we will end up with a deficit of close to $80 billion over a four-year period, thanks to this government.My question for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance is very simple: how can they promise a return to a balanced budget when it will not actually happen until 2045? When will the budget be balanced? This is a very simple question.

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives wanted to protect the integrity of our electoral system, they allowed for 84 hours of debate. I repeat, 84 hours of debate. When the Liberals introduced Bill C-76 to rig the election in their favour, they invoked closure to put the bill to vote yesterday, after just two hours of debate.What are the Liberals afraid of? Are they afraid of losing the next election?

Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned in La Presse that the Minister of Public Services and Procurement took the time to visit the Irving shipyard and met with Irving executives on a number of occasions. However, her office systematically refused requests to meet with people from Davie and to attend the unveiling of the ship Asterix.Does she have some kind of problem with Quebec? Is this government, known for creating an $8-million skating rink slated for a two-month run, afraid that a company like Davie will make others in Canada look bad?

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to judicial delays, the minister is trying to buy time by meeting with her provincial counterparts. In reality, all she has to do is read the newspaper, listen to the radio, and watch television. Everyone is laying the blame squarely on her shoulders, because the reality is this is in her wheelhouse.The judicial appointments advisory committee for eastern Quebec has yet to be created. The seven seats have been empty for a year and a half now.Can the Prime Minister explain how his minister is supposed to appoint judges when the committee has yet to be struck ?

Mr. Speaker, if I may, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the infamous letter I received from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, which was sent to me in English only. Here in the House and in committees, we respect official languages, so this is totally unacceptable. I seek unanimous consent to table this letter.

Mr. Speaker, after defending himself for weeks by claiming he had supposedly followed the rules of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, the Minister of Finance was found guilty of having hidden his French company. For two years, he also hid his assets in numbered companies, which allowed him to make millions in profit off industries that he, as a minister, is supposed to regulate in an entirely neutral fashion. These actions fall well short of meeting the highest standards of honesty and impartiality required of him in his mandate letter from the Prime Minister.Why do all the Liberals feel they are above the law?

Madam Speaker, I am going to try to get some answers from the Minister of Finance's pet parrot.A car dealership in Rivière-du-Loup is planning to invest $5 million in the coming year to expand its services and its client base. That investment could not have happened if the owner had not been able to grow his long-term investment returns, which the Liberals now want to tax more heavily as part of their unfair reform. Why do the Liberals want to penalize businesses all over Quebec, including in my riding, while leaving the Prime Minister's fortune and that of the Minister of Finance untouched?

Mr. Speaker, the advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs not only accused NATO of amplifying threats, which are already serious in Ukraine, but he also invited Israel to reach out to Iran, the same country that wants to destroy the only democratic state in the Middle East.Can the minister tell us if he advises his Israeli counterparts to unconditionally embrace a country that is threatening to destroy their nation?

Mr. Speaker, this week, the former attorney general testified that she was inappropriately pressured by the Prime Minister over the criminal case involving SNC-Lavalin. Sonia Lebel, the Attorney General of Quebec, agrees that this is extremely troubling.Gerald Butts, the Prime Minister's closest advisor and friend said there was no solution that did not involve interference. By implicating himself in the obstruction of justice, the Prime Minister has lost the moral authority to govern. When will he resign?

Mr. Speaker, the 2016 census figures show a worrisome trend in eastern Quebec. While the population of Canada increased by 5% over the past five years, the population of the Lower St. Lawrence region and the Gaspé dropped by 1.3% and 4%, respectively. Will the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development commit to scrapping the disastrous policies that prevent our businesses from keeping jobs in the region, or would he rather see our young people continue to move to large urban centres?

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives implemented a rigorous environmental assessment process enabling Canada to meet its economic and energy needs, all while ensuring that approval decisions are based on science. With Bill C-69, the Liberals are trying to turn this process upside down, even though it works very well.Can the minister tell us which projects approved under the former process she does not agree with? Which projects would she like to see fail?

Mr. Speaker, this week, Clément Massé, president of the Barreau du Bas-Saint-Laurent-Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine expressed his concern about the lack of Quebec Superior Court judges. This situation will likely only get worse in the coming weeks because Justice Landry from Gaspé is retiring.Given the already unacceptable delays in the court system, will the Minister of Justice get out of her bubble in Ottawa and Vancouver and quickly review the selection process to fill the empty positions in our regions, or would she rather see dangerous criminals released because of her failure to act, as we saw yesterday in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, times are tough for the forestry industry. Major issues, such as job losses and the renewal of the softwood lumber agreement between Canada and the U.S., are creating uncertainty in this industry, which accounts for least $20 billion of Canada's economy.All regions of Quebec and Canada would be affected if the agreement were not renewed, especially my region of the Lower St. Lawrence.Why is the minister taking so long to finalize an agreement that is so important to our country and to all regions in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, over 10 years after the Gomery Commission exposed for all Canadians to see the culture of corruption that pervaded the Liberal government of the day, a central figure in the sponsorship scandal and close friend of the Liberal Party has been found guilty of influence peddling, forgery, and money laundering.Will the government learn from the past and finally follow the ethics rules imposed by its own Prime Minister when it comes to fundraising?

Madam Speaker, last week I had the pleasure of visiting Abitibi. I heard from a number of stakeholders, including the cities of Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d'Or and several members of the tourism sector, that they are worried about NAV Canada's plan to eliminate air traffic controller night-shift positions in this area.I would like the minister to reassure the people of Abitibi and clearly tell them that the government will not let NAV Canada entrust the safety of the public to robots just to save a few dollars.

Mr. Speaker, the former attorney general wants to speak because this is a serious matter and certain questions remain unanswered. However, the supposedly independent Liberal members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, have, at the Prime Minister's behest, been playing games to prevent the former attorney general from speaking.Canadians who want answers will have to settle for a sham investigation by the person who was the Liberal deputy prime minister under Paul Martin. What a joke.What are the Liberals trying to hide from Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, this is another example of the Prime Minister saying one thing and doing another.As hon. members know, the Prime Minister sure does like to talk about transparency. However, he appointed the new Speaker of the Senate without consulting anyone. He appointed a Speaker who cannot even speak both official languages. Was it more important to appoint a close friend of the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons than to appoint a bilingual Speaker to the Senate?

Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the week, the Prime Minister has enjoyed talking about his election platform, so let us talk about it. On page 31 it says, “The status quo is not an option: the Senate needs to change.” The Liberals announced that a committee of five people appointed by the Prime Minister would make recommendations to him on who to appoint to the Senate in future.Will the Liberals make real change to the Senate and put an end to the status quo?

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Transport threw in the towel before the contract for new Via Rail trains was even awarded.Today, the Government of Quebec is asking that no decision be made until all the bidders have submitted their best final offer.Will the minister at least require Via Rail to allow Bombardier Transport to submit its best offer or will he just send these jobs to California instead of Quebec?

Madam Speaker, the Liberals are determined to centralize power and ignore the regional diversity of our country. Prior to the election of the Liberals, Canadians could expect real leadership from their regional ministers, skilled ministers who were very familiar with the unique characteristics of the regions and provinces for which they were responsible. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell us what he really knows about Quebec's economic priorities?I would also like to know how many times the minister has travelled east of Montreal.

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the Prime Minister stated that the budget would balance itself. Once elected into office, the Minister of National Revenue thought that by giving $1 billion to her officials she would find $25 billion. That has not happened. However, Nova Scotia sculptor Steve Higgins just received a $14,000 tax bill because the CRA considers his work to be a hobby. Having gone after single mothers and people with disabilities, the Liberals are now trying to balance the books on the backs of honest workers, like Mr. Higgins. Why?

Mr. Speaker, I am going to give this a third try.Quebec and Manitoba have made it clear that they do not want home cannabis cultivation. That is as clear as can be, but the Minister of Health had no intention of considering the Senate's thoughtful amendments. She made her decision without even taking the time to talk to the provinces about it.The people of Chicoutimi sent a very clear message: they have had enough of the “Ottawa knows best” attitude.Will the Prime Minister now respect the provinces?

Mr. Speaker, workers in my riding who go to work every day at the Davie shipyard are extremely proud to have delivered the supply ship Asterix to the Royal Canadian Navy on time, on budget, and at the lowest price.A second ship urgently needs to be built in order to meet the navy's operational needs, but the Liberals are standing in the way.Will the Minister of National Defence and the Minister of Procurement go to Lévis this Sunday to explain to the workers how they plan to use a single ship to resupply a navy fleet that patrols three oceans?

Mr. Speaker, an hour ago, in my home town of La Pocatière, the best employees in the world, employees of Bombardier Transportation, held a peaceful protest to show that they have the ability, expertise, passion and determination needed to build VIA Rail's future fleet.However, the transport minister is already washing his hands of this by hiding behind free trade. Meanwhile the deal that the Prime Minister just signed with Donald Trump still allows the United States to require that Amtrak trains be built in the U.S. with 70% American content.Why did the Liberals give up so easily and not ask for anything for Canada's regions?

Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised an open and transparent appointment process for the new official languages commissioner, but what they delivered was the most partisan appointment ever. Madeleine Meilleur, who was angling for a Senate seat while at Queen's Park, told the committee quite plainly yesterday that she contacted her former colleagues, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, the two people in the Prime Minister's Office with the most clout in the selection process. That is what you call coming up with a plan B.Will the government finally admit that this appointment was nothing more than a $315,000 consolation prize to help a good friend—

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. government just announced new tariffs to the tune of 20% on Canadian softwood lumber imports. The Prime Minister promised on March 10, 2016, that a new agreement would replace the one reached by the Harper government and that it would be concluded within 100 days. It has now been more than 400 days.The Liberals still do not have an agreement, jeopardizing the 370,000 direct and indirect jobs in Canada's forestry sector.Why is the government waiting and why did it wait to do something about this?

Mr. Speaker, the voter information card is not a piece of ID. Many of them end up in recycling bins. Elections Canada admitted that in 2015 nearly 400,000 of them contained errors. In Quebec, voters are already used to having to present a health card, driver's licence, Canadian passport, Indian status card, or a Canadian forces ID card.Can the Liberals tell me what class of citizens is excluded from this list?

Madam Speaker, the United States took this Liberal government to the cleaners during free trade negotiations. One-third of Canadian exporters are already affected by American steel tariffs. Garant, a big, wonderful company in my riding, has been doubly affected since May 1 because of Canada's 25% tariff on raw material, which is jeopardizing its competitiveness and jobs.Instead of settling for a new tax, why has the Prime Minister not taken action to settle this dispute and get these tariffs dropped on both sides of the border?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages denounced the fact that French language proficiency tests for prospective immigrants to Canada can cost twice as much as their English equivalents. However, the Constitution clearly states that official languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions within the Government of Canada. What does the government plan to do right now to ensure that the law is respected and that francophone immigration applicants do not have to pay more for exactly the same service?

Mr. Speaker, since farmers signed on to the crop insurance program several years ago, they expect fair compensation for the losses they have suffered. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has even acknowledged an error in its method for evaluating losses and said it is prepared to go ahead with adjustments for 2019. However, we have learned that it refuses to do anything about 2018, at the expense of farmers who suffered from last year's extreme drought. Why are the Liberals turning their backs on the farmers in my riding and across eastern Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Canadian Heritage claimed that she was part of an exemplary government that is leading the way when it comes to official languages.If that is indeed the case, how does she explain the fact that the Commissioner of Official Languages received 40% more complaints in the past year and that, yesterday, her colleague, the Minister of Environment sent my office here in Ottawa a letter written in English only about my riding, one of the most francophone ridings in Canada?Can the Liberals spend less time appointing their friends to important government positions and—

Madam Speaker, the Liberal government remains out of touch with the realities of the forestry industry and the regions of Quebec.It is urgent that the government negotiate a softwood lumber agreement and put an end to the uncertainty surrounding the woodland caribou. Unfortunately, the government does not have enough information to make informed decisions on this issue.The Minister of Environment likes to claim that her decisions are based on science. Will she make sure that her department learns more about the woodland caribou so that an informed decision can be made without giving in to the blackmail of activists?

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Department of Commerce levelled a direct attack on our forestry producers last month with new tariffs on softwood lumber. According to Michael Froman, the former U.S. trade representative, the Liberal government had an opportunity to sign an agreement last year with an offer from the Obama administration, but it chose to wait, thinking it would get a better deal with the Trump government.What is up now?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals eliminated the position of minister responsible for the economic development of Quebec upon taking office, Quebec entrepreneurs and job creators lost their voice in the federal government. Not deviating from their policy to centralize all the power, the Liberals are claiming that a minister from Toronto, who rarely sets foot in Quebec, can properly represent the entire country.When will the government stop ignoring the regions of Quebec and those of its residents who do not have enough money to pay $1,500 to get access to the Liberals?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals boasted about invading the privacy of more than one million Canadians by obtaining their personal financial data without their consent. It got to the point that the Privacy Commissioner launched an investigation.This is like me going to someone's home, breaking down the door and once in the living room, asking permission to enter. That is exactly what they are doing.In just one week, 20,000 Canadians have already signed a petition and shown that they are clearly against this invasion of their privacy.What is the government waiting for to put a stop to this practice?

Mr. Speaker, today, I welcomed to Ottawa over 40 elected officials from my riding who have infrastructure projects they want to carry out. Despite the Liberals' promise to invest $180 billion over 10 years, there is no program under which they can apply for funding for their projects.The mayors of Kamouraska and Rivière-Ouelle want to fix up their waterfronts to make them major tourist attractions in their communities. Could the minister responsible for Canada Economic Development tell us why his department will no longer fund this type of project in our rural regions, which have been abandoned under this Liberal government?

Mr. Speaker, I am going to give the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons a chance to repeat himself yet again.For weeks now, the Liberals have been claiming that their fundraising activities involving privileged access benefiting the Liberal Party of Canada, not the needs of the state, are held in compliance with the rules. The state and the Liberal Party are two completely separate things.Will the Liberals pull their heads out of the sand and admit that their activities are unethical, that they are undermining Canadians' trust in our democracy, and that they do not comply with the rules that the Prime Minister himself put in place?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals came to power, there were four viable private-sector pipelines. Now there are none.How many other private enterprises does the Prime Minister intend to first sabotage and then go behind the scenes to nationalize for billions of dollars? Is this his attempt at making his father's dream come true with national energy program version 2.0?

Mr. Speaker, a Quebec network of women's shelters condemned the fact that a Montreal man accused of killing his wife was released because of unacceptable court delays. Premier Couillard and Minister Vallée are appealing to the federal Liberals to take urgent action to address their failure to appoint judges to fix this problem.How many other individuals who have committed crimes against women will walk free before the self-styled feminist Prime Minister decides to take action and overhaul his worthless selection and appointment process?

Mr. Speaker, the government promised small deficits of $10 billion for the first two years and a balanced budget in 2019. However, we have since found out that we will end up with a deficit of close to $80 billion over a four-year period, thanks to this government.My question for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance is very simple: how can they promise a return to a balanced budget when it will not actually happen until 2045? When will the budget be balanced? This is a very simple question.

Mr. Speaker, first, the Prime Minister accepted an invitation from the Aga Khan to visit his private island. Then, we learned that the island in question does not in fact belong to the Aga Khan but to four companies that have been linked to tax evasion.Given this blatant conflict of interest and all of the questions that have been raised about this over the past few months, is the Prime Minister still happy about his choice?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself is the one who misled Canadians. He said that the SNC-Lavalin story was not true. Obviously that is not the case. Then, he said that no one had come to him with their concerns, which is also not true.If he really believes that telling the truth would be defamatory to him, when will we see him in court?

Mr. Speaker, the severe drought of 2018 was even worse than the drought of 2017. Quite a few farmers in my riding and many other regions of Quebec experienced major losses. Unfortunately, some of them are on the verge of giving up farming because agristability payments amount to little or practically nothing.Quebec's ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food, the Financière agricole du Québec and the Union des producteurs agricoles have all asked the Liberal government to revise how it calculates losses.When will the government take action on this?

Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government had not imposed arbitrary deadlines on the Connect to Innovate program, and if it had listened to the regions in Quebec and Canada, there would be no need to change the dates today as it just did. By all accounts, the minister from Toronto knows very little about Canada's regions.Will he extend the deadline by another two or three months, since the municipalities are unable to submit plans under the current program?We had also asked for more money to build cellphone towers in our regions because of the significant problems we have in Canada.Can the minister tell us when we can expect to have that money?