Jacques Gourde

“The government says this bill will help our economy. Why did they wait 11 years to do something useful for Canada?”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague on his first speech in the House. I have a rather special question to ask him. Through its bill, the government wants to improve the Canadian economy, but why did it wait 11 years before doing something useful for our country? We have been waiting 11 years for a bill to help grow the Canadian economy. What took so long?”

“Canada's immigration system is broken. Criminals and fake refugees are getting into the country, which pushes out the skilled workers we need. I want to know what the government will do to stop criminals from coming here.”

“Mr. Speaker, Canada’s immigration system is a mess. Fake refugees and criminals are slipping through the cracks and receiving preferential treatment from the Liberal government. Asylum claims should not be a shortcut to immigration. The Liberals must ensure that abuse is detected quickly and that the resources allocated to immigration serve Canadians appropriately. What is the Liberal government going to do to prevent criminals from immigrating to Canada and crowding out the skilled workers we actually need?”

“The Prime Minister has hurt our economy. Groceries cost more, business investment is down, and Canada has high unemployment. I want the Prime Minister to take responsibility for this recession.”

“Mr. Speaker, really, this Prime Minister is nothing but an illusion. A banker is supposed to be good with numbers, yet here is the Prime Minister’s track record: every family will be spending an extra $1,000 on groceries in 2026, business capital investment has fallen for five consecutive quarters, and Canada has the second-highest unemployment rate in the G7. This record makes us the only G20 country in recession. The Prime Minister is not being accountable to Canadians. Will he take responsibility for his recession?”

• Personal attack
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  Opposition question in Question Period

  Respect 85 of 100

  This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “this Prime Minister is nothing but an illusion”.

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• Echo ×10

  A repeated line

  “Canada has the second-highest unemployment rate in the G7.”

  Said 10 times by 9 members since April 28.

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“New supply ships for the navy are delayed, but the government might end the lease on the working ship we already have. Will the government renew the lease or buy the ship?”

“Mr. Speaker, delays in the delivery of support ships for the Canadian Navy have been growing longer for years. Meanwhile, the Liberals are threatening to end the lease agreement for the MV Asterix, which is in perfect condition. Does the Liberal government intend to renew the lease or purchase the MV Asterix?”

“The high-speed train project will burden future generations with huge debt. The transport minister seems ready to let it cost much more than $90 billion. I want to know if he is willing to waste that much money.”

“Mr. Speaker, the Alto train is not a gift. It places a perpetual burden on the backs of future generations. Yesterday, the Minister of Transport opened the door to the possibility of cost overruns, so the minister is prepared for it to cost far more than $90 billion and far exceed its budget. Is the Liberal transport minister prepared to pour money down a bottomless pit?”

“The minister should meet with farmers to explain why the government is taking their land for this rail project. Experts say the project is a waste of money and will not make a profit. We should spend this money on useful infrastructure instead.”

“Mr. Speaker, if the minister believes that this project is sound, he should go and meet with farmers himself to explain the expropriations. Experts are unanimous: This ideologically motivated project is completely irresponsible when it comes to our public finances. There is no evidence that it will be cost-effective. The Liberals want to leave us with a white elephant that runs purely on subsidies. With $90 million, we could refurbish nearly all of our infrastructure in Canada and become a global agricultural powerhouse. When are the Liberals going to invest in projects that will actually create wealth in Canada?”

“I want my colleague to tell us how people in Mirabel feel. The government plans to build high-speed rail through their farmland without giving them good answers.”

“Madam Speaker, I would like to give my esteemed colleague the opportunity to tell me how people in Mirabel are feeling. The government told them that a high-speed rail project is going to cut right through their farmland. It did not offer much in the way of explanation. A lot of questions were asked, but not a lot of answers have been given. I am sure that my colleague has a lot to say about that.”

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“The government is closing seven farm research centres to save money, while wasting billions on other projects. This hurts our food supply. I want to know why the government keeps failing Canadian farmers.”

“Mr. Speaker, agriculture is just a drop in the bucket for the Liberals, who are spending $6.6 billion on the Cúram program, $19 billion on consultants, and $100 billion on a high-speed train that will ruin entire farming communities in Quebec and Ontario. Saving $23 million a year by closing seven research centres in Canada is completely unacceptable. This decision is a direct attack on our country’s food security. It is not too late to fix this mistake. Why do the Liberals historically always let Canada’s agricultural communities down?”

“I want the government to stop the high-speed rail project. It will take land from hundreds of farmers, cost too much, and struggle in Canadian winters. The government should back Quebec City's third link highway project instead.”

“Mr. Speaker, the feedback about Alto’s high-speed rail project, which is being promoted by the Liberal Party and relatives of influential ministers, has been very negative. According to Radio-Canada, some 500 farms and 1,200 landowners will be affected in the Montreal-Ottawa corridor alone. Just imagine how many people who will be expropriated over the 1,000-kilometre route. Considering our Canadian winters, this project will almost certainly run into surprises that will affect the final bill and the train’s ability to operate. There are not many such trains running in our climate, especially at cruising speeds of 300 kilometres an hour. Governing is about making choices, and making choices without social licence would jeopardize our private, unsubsidized means of transportation in favour of a subsidized means of transportation benefiting a handful of regular travellers. I urge the government to listen to the people of Canada before it is too late to turn back. If it is really looking for a good idea to support, there is always Quebec City’s third link.”

“Life is too expensive for Canadians, and they cannot afford gas, rent, or food. I want the Prime Minister to take this problem seriously.”

“Mr. Speaker, that answer is not worth much. What is worth a lot is gas at $2 a litre, a two-bedroom apartment at $2,000 a month, on top of an annual bill of $17,000 for a family of four’s weekly grocery run. We saw just how distressed Canadians are when a new liquidation store opened in Granby this morning. The police had to direct traffic because a queue of people had turned up as early as 5 a.m. to buy discounted food. The situation is desperate. The credit card is maxed out. When will the Liberal Prime Minister take the situation seriously?”

“The government has added a trillion dollars to the national debt over the last ten years. This overspending leads to higher taxes, higher interest rates, and higher prices for families. I want the Prime Minister to stop running deficits.”

“Mr. Speaker, the national credit card is more maxed out than ever, leaving a $1-trillion bill behind for our kids and grandkids. That is $1 trillion more in 10 years being piled on the backs of future generations. Today, families are paying the price for the Liberals’ structural deficits through higher taxes, higher inflation, even higher interest costs and higher prices across the board. When is this Liberal Prime Minister going to end credit card budgets so that Canadian families can make ends meet?”

“My sister-in-law, Marlène Beaudoin, has died. I am honoring her memory and sharing how much our family loved and misses her.”

“Mr. Speaker, in loving memory of my sister-in-law Marlène Beaudoin, an energetic, dedicated woman who loved her family: her husband Yvon, her children Jonathan, Myriam and Catherine, and her six beloved grandchildren. Always ready to protect us so that we would want for nothing, Marlène leaves us with indelible memories of her devotion to her loved ones. She was the centre of attention in our family. Her infectious laughter reminds us of the importance of family gatherings at her home and at the family cottage. She loved us dearly, and we loved her just as much. Her resilience over the past decade proved to us what an exceptional woman she was. We miss her already. May she rest in peace with the love of her entire family.”

“Parts of my riding have no cell service, especially in Saint-Nicolas. Will this bill help fix that problem?”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for introducing this bill, which could have far-reaching effects and help a lot of Canadians. Black holes exist in my riding, too. In particular, in one section of the Saint-Nicolas sector of Lévis, right in the city at the head of the bridges on the way to Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, cell service suddenly disappears. These people are asking us to do everything in our power to restore their service. Will this bill help the people in my riding, especially in Saint-Nicolas?”

“Companies are losing money from American tariffs. This government loan program must be paid back in three years. I worry businesses will not take these loans and will close down faster instead.”

“Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague’s speech. It is apparent that he was a teacher before becoming an MP. Going back to the $1.5-billion program, we are talking about loans that must be repaid over three years. However, companies are losing money due to U.S. tariffs. With these 25% tariffs, they are forced to lower their prices to remain competitive, or they will be forced out of the market. If businesses decide not to take advantage of this program, could it speed up the closure of small and medium-sized businesses in Canada, given that it is not the government that is experiencing the tariff problem, but businesses, because they have to pay back or postpone the losses they are currently experiencing?”

In response to a question from Kevin Lamoureux

“The Liberals are doing something shameful right now. I believe they may be destroying Canadian democracy for future generations.”

“Mr. Speaker, this will not take long and I will answer honestly. Shame on the Liberals. Shame on them for what they are doing right now. They may be destroying democracy in Canada for future generations.”

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