Official Hansard
Mr. Speaker, I first want to mention that I will be sharing my time with the member for Sydney—Glace Bay. I am pleased to rise today in support of Bill C-28, which represents a significant step forward for Canada’s economic and strategic future. To begin, I would like to point out that I was elected a year ago today. I want to thank the people of Beauport—Limoilou for putting their trust in me, and I hope that they have been proud of the work that I have accomplished for them in this first year. I also want to take a moment to wish all of my colleagues a happy first anniversary. I would also like to thank the people who work every day, with diligence and dedication, to serve the people of Beauport—Limoilou. I thank Souraya, who welcomes all visitors to the office with warmth, empathy, and professionalism. I thank her for her daily commitment and her reassuring presence. I thank Aboubacar, who assists newcomers and residents who need help with the Canada Revenue Agency. I thank him for his attentiveness, patience and kindness. I thank Nicholas, who builds valuable relationships with organizations in the riding and accompanies me to community events. I thank him for his unwavering commitment to the residents and his professionalism. I would like to thank Myriam, who supports me every day here in Ottawa and who works tirelessly to ensure that everything runs smoothly. I thank her for her support, her dedication and her efficiency. Finally, I would like to thank Nancy, who manages the constituency office remarkably well, with a masterful touch. I thank her once again for her invaluable support in this wonderful and crazy adventure. Serving the constituents is a team effort, and I am fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional people. I thank them all. Finally, I would be remiss if I failed to thank my partner and my children for their support. Without Mélanie, I would not be here today. She has been by my side since I first started thinking about this, right from the very beginning of this journey. She told me she would always be there for me, and she is, every single day. Without her, none of this would be possible. This work is demanding. It requires a great deal of time, energy and sacrifice. Without the support of our families, it is very difficult to succeed and stay the course. I thank her for being that pillar of strength, that quiet strength and that indispensable presence in my life. Last week, the day after Bill C-28 was tabled in the House, we marked Earth Day. It is a day that reminds us that we share the same planet, with shared responsibilities. Often, when we take a step back and look a little further afield, this reality becomes even more clear. We got a glimpse of this recently with the Artemis II mission. The images of earth captured during the mission and broadcast by NASA were striking. Seen from space, our planet appears both vast and fragile, without borders or divisions. Even though we have had images of earth for over 60 years, we never tire of them; they are still as magnificent as ever, as if we were seeing them for the first time. Millions of people around the world watched that mission with fascination. For a moment, borders became blurred. Differences gave way to a shared sense of pride, curiosity and wonder. Space exploration has this unique power. It reminds us that, when we work together, when we rely on knowledge, innovation and collaboration, there is virtually no limit to what we can accomplish. It also reminds us that, even in a world that is undergoing rapid and often complex and uncertain changes, we still have the ability to come together around promising and ambitious projects for the good of humanity. Canada must not be a mere observer on the sidelines of this great adventure. In fact, Canada has always been at the forefront of the great advancements in space. We were one of the first countries to send a satellite into orbit. We developed technologies that are recognized around the world. In 1962, Canada became the third country in the world, after the U.S. and Soviet superpowers, to design and build its own satellite. That is a testament to the historic leadership and ambition that have always driven Canada’s space program. Even now, Canadians are still directly involved in the most ambitious missions of our time. These achievements are a reflection of exceptional expertise, a steadfast commitment to innovation and a forward‑looking vision. Above all, they remind us of one essential thing: potential; the potential of Canada, the potential of our businesses, the potential of our researchers and engineers, and the potential of the younger generations who look to these accomplishments and see endless possibilities. Behind every mission, behind every technological breakthrough, there are young people with dreams, young people who choose to pursue careers in science, engineering, aeronautics and space exploration, because they know these fields hold the promise of a bright future. That is why we have a responsibility to create the conditions necessary for this potential to be fully realized here. Today, despite our recognized expertise and our long‑standing contributions, Canada remains the only G7 country without a sovereign space launch capability. As we can see, several other countries have already achieved this. Take the United Kingdom for example, which established its space sector in 2018 and has since developed a $35‑billion industry employing more than 50,000 people. In practical terms, this means that our companies, our institutions, and even our government must rely on other countries to launch their satellites into orbit. This dependence results in costly delays, diverts investment that could be made right here in Canada and exposes our critical infrastructure to decisions beyond our control. Nearly 20% of the Canadian economy relies on satellite connectivity, whether for telecommunications, agriculture, marine navigation, supply chain information, mining projects in remote areas, science, government operations or Canadian defence. This dependence is only going to increase. The global space industry is booming, with projections exceeding $1.5 trillion by 2032. Bill C-28 reflects that reality. This bill enables us to transform our expertise into a genuine driver of economic growth. It represents a concrete opportunity to create wealth, support our businesses and secure Canada’s place in the global economy of tomorrow. It aims to provide Canada with the necessary framework to develop a sovereign space launch capability right here, on our own soil. It will also help attract investment, create high-quality jobs and position Canada as a key player in the space economy of the future. By passing this bill, we have an opportunity to take this industry to a whole new level, with the potential to generate up to $40 billion in total revenue in Canada. Behind those numbers lie very real benefits for Canadians. For example, a spaceport project in Nova Scotia could create up to 16,000 jobs and boost the economy of an entire region, while adding $300 million to Canada’s GDP. Most importantly, this bill allows us to move from merely recognizing our potential to taking concrete steps to realize it. By developing space launch capabilities in Canada, we are strengthening both our sovereignty and our competitiveness in an industry poised for tremendous growth. Since the new government took office, it has made a number of decisions with this sovereignty in mind, including on economic diversification, investments in our infrastructure and yesterday’s announcement regarding the sovereign wealth fund that Canada is setting up. If the past few weeks have taught us anything, it is this: When we look beyond the immediate, when we work together and when we believe in our abilities, we can achieve great things, and Canada is no exception.
