Alexandre Boulerice

“Billionaires have far too much money while our public services are failing and people are homeless. The government gives the rich gifts instead of helping. I want to know when the government will make the richest people pay their fair share of taxes.”

“Mr. Speaker, frankly, no one can believe that answer. For the first time in history, a human being is a trillionaire. Elon Musk is worth more than $1,000 billion. Even if he were to spend $1 million a day, it would take him 2,700 years to spend such an obscene amount of money. There are people here too with colossal fortunes worth billions of dollars. The Liberals are lavishing them with gifts. At a time when people are living on the street and our public services are crumbling, what are the Liberals doing? They are not doing anything. When will they have the courage to make the super-wealthy pay their fair share?”

“I want to thank the people in my riding for electing me five times. I also want to thank my staff and my partner. We need more progressive leaders making decisions to help build a better world.”

“Mr. Speaker, 15 years ago, a man named Jack Layton won Quebec’s heart and led the NDP into official opposition for the first time. I had the privilege of being part of that wave. The people of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie continued to put their trust in me in four subsequent elections. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Representing them has been an honour, a privilege and a true pleasure, not only in the toughest of struggles, but also in the collective and personal victories we secured. Of course, I want to thank my team. I cannot name everyone, but these supporters and dedicated individuals know who they are. Still, I would like to acknowledge my current team. I wish to thank Julien, François, Jean‑Christophe, Iseult and Carolina, who has been by my side from the very beginning of this adventure. I also thank my partner, Lisa, who has been incredibly patient and supportive. In this troubled and troubling world, we need progressive and humanist voices in this Parliament, in all parliaments and in all places where decisions are made. I hope that there will be many such voices in the future. Let us move forward. It is not too late to build a better world.”

“Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, and attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank are increasing. I want the government to stop trading with Israel.”

“Mr. Speaker, the genocide in Gaza has claimed 70,000 lives, including 20,000 children. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with infrastructure in ruins. In the meantime, life for Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank is appalling. Illegal settlements are multiplying. Palestinian villages, homes and farms are being destroyed on a regular basis. According to the UN, there are an average of six attacks per day against Palestinians in the West Bank. I repeat: six per day. When are the Liberals going to take action and suspend our trade relations with the Netanyahu regime?”

“The price of buying F-35 fighter jets has gone from $19 billion to $28 billion. Now we hear the government might buy 72 more jets. I want to know if that is true, how much it will cost, and if that money should be spent on Canadians instead.”

“Mr. Speaker, we already knew that the cost of acquiring the F-35s had skyrocketed, going from $19 billion to $28 billion. However, we learned that, in addition to the 72 U.S. jets, the Liberals are thinking of buying another 72 fighter jets, the Gripen, for a potential fleet of 144 fighter jets. The questions are simple. First, is that true? Second, how much will it cost? Lastly, could this money be better invested to meet the needs of Canadians?”

“Big web platforms are hurting our culture, and it is almost impossible to find Quebec shows and movies online. The Liberals' deal with Netflix failed. I want to know when the government will take our culture seriously.”

“Mr. Speaker, culture has always been the common foundation of a people, the thing that shapes its core identity. Culture is the accumulation of stories, songs, music, books, films and television shows—shared works that bring us together. However, the arrival of the web giants has shattered all of that. Worse still, with the decline of traditional television, appointment viewing has disappeared. The Liberals boasted about a deal with Netflix, but it is now basically impossible to find Quebec productions on digital platforms. When will the Liberals take the future of our culture seriously?”

“The Earth has limited resources, but the Liberals are missing their climate targets. They want to build a pipeline and they broke their promise to act on the industrial carbon tax. The Prime Minister is not practicing what he preaches on climate change.”

“Mr. Speaker, the earth is 13,000 km in diameter and that will not change. We have limited resources. That is not up for debate. It is just physics. Unfortunately, capitalism does not get that. We have already blown past seven of the nine planetary boundaries. Here, the Liberals are missing their climate targets and they want a new pipeline, which is nuts. On top of that, they promised to take action on the industrial carbon tax by April 1. It has been crickets since then. The Prime Minister says that climate action is not only a moral duty, but also an economic imperative. Does he listen to himself when he speaks?”

“I vote yes.”

“Mr. Speaker, I agree to apply the result of the previous vote and I vote in favour of the motion.”

“The richest people in Canada own most of the wealth, while the poorest barely own anything. Food costs too much, and inequality is getting worse under the Liberals. When will the government help struggling workers instead of rich people and big tech companies?”

“Mr. Speaker, in Canada, the wealthiest 20% of the population owns 66% of the wealth. At the other end of the spectrum, the poorest 40%, almost half of the population, owns only 3%. After 11 years of the Liberal regime, inequality is rising. Our society is unfair, and people are suffering. According to a survey, the expense that people are most worried about is food. For a Prime Minister who said that he should be judged by the price of groceries, it is a failure. Instead of giving handouts to web giants and their billionaire friends, when will the Liberals take care of struggling workers?”

“People in Montreal are struggling to afford life. A family of four there needs $88,800 after taxes just to cover basic needs, and many do not have that. When will the government help regular people instead of billionaires?”

“Mr. Speaker, despite the government’s promises, people are struggling to make ends meet, especially in Montreal. According to the Institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques, Montreal is the most expensive city in Quebec. A family of two adults and two children in Montreal would need to be bringing in $88,800 after taxes to have a livable income. A livable income is enough to meet basic needs with a little bit extra for a rainy day. That is all, but thousands of people do not have that. Rather than helping their billionaire friends, when will the Liberals take action so that everyone can live with dignity?”

• Echo ×13

  A repeated line

  “People are struggling to make ends meet.”

  Said 13 times by 10 members since April 27.

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“Canadian airports do not meet international safety standards for fighting plane fires. Firefighters are not required or able to rescue passengers from burning planes. I want the government to follow the motion passed by the House and meet these safety standards.”

“Mr. Speaker, the tragic accident at LaGuardia airport that cost the lives of two pilots reminds us that emergencies can break out on airport runways. What is less well known is that our airports’ firefighting capabilities in the event of a fire on board an airplane do not meet the international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO. For example, airport firefighters do not have a duty to rescue passengers and, given that there is usually one firefighter per truck, they do not have the ability to do so either. Will the Liberals respect Motion No. 96, which was adopted by the House, as well as the ICAO’s international standards, to ensure the safety of passengers in the event of an accident?”

“A women's group in my riding called L'Écho des femmes is celebrating its 40th anniversary. I want to honour the group and thank Silvia Martinez for working there for 35 years to support women.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am immensely proud to rise in tribute to an outstanding milestone reached in Rosemont—La Petite‑Patrie. This year, we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of L’Écho des femmes. For four decades, this organization has been much more than a mere gathering spot. It is a pillar of solidarity, a shield against isolation and a driving force for social change. Whether through mutual support, public education or advocacy, L’Écho des femmes transforms lives. I would be remiss not to commend one very special woman, Silvia Martinez, for her 35 years of service. Silvia is among those considered the lifeblood of the organization. She is a voice for women who have too little voice left. Her dedication to justice and her cheerful ways have left their mark on generations. In a world of persisting inequality and violence, we need L’Écho des femmes and women like Silvia Martinez. On behalf of the people of Rosemont—La Petite‑Patrie, I want to thank them and wish them many more years of combat and victory.”