This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Madam Speaker, Procedure · 94 wordsI am very pleased to take part in today’s debate on a motion moved by the Bloc Québécois. Speaking of the Bloc Québécois, I think it would agree with me that we should give a little nod to what is currently happening in Quebec. After that, I will address the heart of the matter of the digital services tax. Some will have already noticed this, but the House of Commons is practically serving as a highway to the Quebec National Assembly these days. That may sound a bit poetic, but here are the facts.Procedure Claims · 21 wordsYesterday, the Premier of Quebec, Premier Paul Saint‑Pierre Plamondon, who can now be called “PPSPP”, unveiled the composition of his cabinet.1Off point Thanks · 6 wordsI wish him all the best.Thanks Claims · 13 wordsTwo of his ministers used to sit here in the House of Commons, Off pointThanks · 29 wordsand they were no ordinary members. I would like to take a moment to salute and congratulate Alain Therrien, who is now the president of the Quebec Treasury Board.Thanks Claims · 25 wordsMr. Therrien served here in the House of Commons as the member for Sanguinet from 2019 to 2025.2 He was also his party’s House leader, Off pointThanks · 9 wordsand I had the pleasure of working with him, ThanksAside · 11 wordsor against him, although it was far more often with him, AsideOff pointThanks · 12 wordsbecause he always sought to reach the best compromise for all parliamentarians.Thanks Anecdote · 16 wordsI also knew him when he was a member of the National Assembly the first time, AnecdoteOff pointThanks · 25 wordsand I can say that he is also a great businessman. Above all, he is an honest man who gives his word and keeps it.Thanks Claims · 23 wordsWhen I say honest, I know he will do the right thing when it comes to managing public funds at the Treasury Board. Aside · 14 wordsI did say he would do “the right thing”, not that he is “right-wing”.AsideOff point Thanks · 23 wordsI also want to acknowledge the appointment of Simon‑Pierre Savard‑Tremblay as the Minister Responsible for Relations with the First Nations and the Inuit.3Thanks Claims · 19 wordsAs members may recall, Mr. Savard‑Tremblay was the member for Saint‑Hyacinthe in the House of Commons until quite recently.4Off point Procedure · 5 wordsThat is no small matter.Procedure Claims · 23 wordsIt is the first time that a first nation member has sat at the cabinet table, dealing with first nations issues in particular.5Off point Thanks · 6 wordsHe deserves a round of applause.Thanks Claims · 8 wordsHe is a member of the Wendat Nation.6 Aside · 9 wordsWhen we say “Wendat” we often think of Wendake.Aside Anecdote · 20 wordsSince he is originally from the Wendat Nation, I used to run into this gentleman at every powwow in Wendake.Anecdote Claims · 110 wordsIn fact, the Grand Chief of the Wendat Nation, Pierre Picard, welcomed this appointment and intends to work with him for the good of first nations and all Quebeckers.7 There are even more moves from the House of Commons to the National Assembly, as they involve not only elected officials but also people working on parliamentary teams. Today, a member who once worked in the House of Commons as a senior adviser to a party leader is about to be sworn in. His name is Éric Duhaime, and he once served as senior adviser to the leader of the Canadian Alliance, from 2000 to 2002, in the House of Commons.8 Anecdote · 25 wordsUnderstandably, I know Mr. Duhaime well and have had the pleasure of his acquaintance for over 20 years. We worked together at the provincial level, AnecdoteOff pointThanks · 10 wordsand I am pleased to offer him my heartfelt congratulations.Thanks Claims · 109 wordsEveryone in politics knows him for the absolutely outstanding and attention-grabbing campaign he led, starting with zero MPs and ending up with 19.9 Today, these 19 parliamentarians will be sworn in to the National Assembly.10 History is being written today, 90 years, 10 months and 10 days since 1935, 11as Conservative members, under the leadership of Éric Duhaime, return to the National Assembly. As for the official opposition, we can talk about a second generation, since two of the members elected under the Liberal Party banner in the National Assembly and sworn in are the sons of two veteran parliamentarians who have had careers in the House of Commons.Off point Thanks · 85 wordsAllow me to acknowledge Sacha Cannon, the son of Lawrence Cannon, a well-known member of this House who was also a senior minister and brought honour to Canada around the world when he was foreign affairs minister.12 I would also like to acknowledge the member for Verdun, Antoine Dionne Charest, son of Jean Charest, who was here as a member of Parliament, deputy speaker of the House, senior minister, deputy prime minister of Canada and party leader, before becoming an MNA and premier of Quebec.13Thanks Claims · 31 wordsYes, we see people from the House of Commons at the National Assembly, but the left is also represented, since Québec Solidaire includes a former member of the House of Commons.Off point Thanks · 22 wordsHere in the House he stood out for inspiring many with his passion and a tone that left no room for interpretation.Thanks Claims · 32 wordsI am referring to the former member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, Alexandre Boulerice, who is now the MNA for Gouin.14 I checked his election results. He was elected with 63% of the vote.15 Aside · 14 wordsLet us just say that he does not have to concern himself with recounts.Aside Claims · 46 wordsI think his experience here in the House of Commons will be valuable to the Quebec legislature because he, too, has experienced a minority government. Let us not forget that he was part of the parliamentary group that signed a long-term agreement with the minority government.Off point Procedure · 8 wordsWe know the outcome, how things turned out.Procedure Reasoning · 42 wordsI think that if, by chance, the leader of Québec Solidaire were considering a long-term agreement with the Parti Québécois government, Mr. Boulerice could keep a close eye on things and tell his leader that it is not really a good idea.Off point Thanks · 27 wordsI would like to acknowledge and congratulate the 127 people elected to the National Assembly.16 I wish them every success in their work on behalf of Quebec.Thanks Claims · 11 wordsThis clearly shows that democracy in Quebec is alive and well.Off point Procedure · 3 wordsWhy is that?Procedure Claims · 38 wordsIt is because there are four distinct parties firmly established in the National Assembly. There are four different colours, four different perspectives. Whether the perspective is sovereignist, federalist, autonomist or socialist, each is represented in the National Assembly.Off point Procedure · 7 wordsThis leads me to an important point: ProcedureClaims · 33 wordsNo one in this House can claim an exclusive right to speak on behalf of Quebec. All members from Quebec speak on behalf of Quebec, and no one has a monopoly on that.Off point Procedure · 5 wordsThe proof is quite simple.Procedure Claims · 39 wordsQuebeckers have elected four different parties to the National Assembly.17 Yes, it is a minority government, 18but what is clear is that the views of Quebeckers will continue to be debated in the National Assembly in the months ahead.Off point Procedure · 17 wordsI want to come back to the subject at hand, but I think that was worth mentioning.Procedure Claims · 9 wordsThe digital services tax is a Liberal Party invention. Procedure · 4 wordsLet me remind members.Procedure Claims · 94 wordsOriginally, in 2015, the Liberals were against this “Netflix tax” and they did not want to implement it at all.19 Ultimately, they ended up putting it in place. In November 2020, in an economic update, they announced their intention to create the digital services tax.20 Between 2021 and 2023, there were a few postponements. On June 20, 2024, they finally passed Bill C‑59, 21which introduced the digital services tax. On June 28, 2024, the order in council was passed.22 What was particularly unfortunate about this approach is that it was retroactive to January 2022.23 Reasoning · 18 wordsTaxing people, taking money out of people’s pockets, is not necessarily the best way to balance a budget. Claims · 22 wordsIn addition, doing so retroactively was quite unfortunate. However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down.24 The Liberals then adopted a new approach.Off point Procedure · 5 wordsWe all remember that approach: ProcedureClaims · 34 wordsIn 2025, they chose a new leader who vowed to stand up for Canada everywhere, especially at the White House, with an elbows up attitude. We all remember the Prime Minister’s elbows up rhetoric. Positioning · 56 wordsHow did that elbows up approach end up playing out at the White House? It ended with a thumbs up. When the Prime Minister appeared before the President of the United States, he seemed far less inclined toward elbows up and settled instead for a thumbs up. The photographs speak for themselves, Unearned certaintyand that is unfortunate.Positioning Claims · 70 wordsTo demonstrate that he was no longer operating in an elbows up frame of mind but rather in a thumbs up one, he sought to ease tensions in the relationship in the hope of creating more room for a possible agreement with the United States.Off point That is why, on June 30, 2025, he announced the elimination of that tax, saying it would facilitate negotiations.25 Unfortunately, that approach yielded absolutely nothing. Positioning · 35 wordsIf one campaigns on an elbows up message but shows up with a thumbs up, what does that achieve? It achieves nothing.Off point That is exactly what happened here. The government tried to appease President Trump, PositioningClaims · 7 wordsbut it gained absolutely nothing in return. Positioning · 33 wordsThat is why what we are discussing today is yet another unfortunate illustration of how the Liberals and this Liberal government say one thing but do the opposite, and never seem to deliver.Positioning Claims · 50 wordsThey are always boasting about all the houses they are going to build, but fewer have been built this year than in previous years. They say they are going to help people more, but 2.35 million people are using food banks.26 That is the Liberal Party’s record after 11 years.27 Positioning · 34 wordsThat is the Liberal Party’s record over the past 18 months, under the leadership of this man, who said he was elbows up but instead, all he can do is give a thumbs up.28PositioningOff point
Analysed on