Sébastien Lemire · TranslatePolitics.ca

Government Orders

2026-06-04

“You Conservatives don't like gun control. Do you think this gun control change is reasonable?”

“What exactly will this bill make Internet providers do to stop child exploitation? It's a serious problem. I want to hear the details of your solution.”

“There's a problem in my riding. The justice system needs more money. Will this bill spend more to fix it?”

Government Orders

Protecting Victims Act

2026-06-04

“I want to ask why the Liberals rejected an amendment. It had more rules against people accused of financial disputes, not just violence. Why not add these rules too?”

“I want to talk about the old days when I could get my way. Now the Liberals can impose things I don't like. I think their changes to bail conditions might make things less safe for women and victims.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there is something to be said about the time when there was a minority government. We were able to strike a sort of balance between a more progressive vision of the justice system, championed by the Bloc Québécois, and a more traditional vision focused on law and order, with harsher penalties, advocated by the Conservatives. Unfortunately, the Liberal majority means that the government will be able to impose various measures, notably an amendment that unduly broadens the scope of the provisions on bail conditions and other procedural safeguards. Taken together, these elements create conditions in which the criterion of violence, usually used to justify harsher sentences, is removed. I would like to hear my colleague's comments on this. Does this create an additional risk for women and victims?

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“I want the minister to explain why her party rejected our amendment. Our amendment would have made it easier for women to file complaints and defend themselves. It was important.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her ongoing commitment to gender equality in the House. Consistent with the intent of the bill, the Bloc Québécois supported it and also proposed amendments in committee, in a spirit of collaborative development. However, the Liberals, who now have a majority, rejected one that I think is crucial. I would like to hear the minister's thoughts on this matter. It was recognized that stalking is part of a pattern of coercive behaviour that must be assessed as a whole. This amendment would have somewhat shifted the burden of proof, which essentially rests with the victim. We have therefore missed an opportunity to make it easier for a woman to file a complaint and defend herself. What does the minister think?

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Government Orders

Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2

2026-06-01

“This bill lets the government make more rules about contracts. It adds Crown corporations. Crown corporations have less accountability. They're like black holes. The government shouldn't use Crown corporations to avoid rules. That's not how democracy works. I'm concerned about this.”

Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, I feel like I am unrecognizable today. In summary, I have concerns when I look at Bill C‑31, especially the part about public contracts. The bill says that this division amends the financial administration to authorize the government to make regulations with respect to the conditions under which contracts may be entered into, despite any other act of Parliament. Essentially, the main amendment seems to be adding Crown corporations. Are federal Crown corporations becoming the new way to get around the Financial Administration Act? We just finished studying this at the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Clearly, Crown corporations are like black holes: Accountability is not the same as within a department. Is it still a democracy when the government skirts the law and uses Crown corporations for expenses that the government should be incurring itself? I would like to ask my colleague that question.

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Statements by Members

World Milk Day

2026-06-01

“I want the government to keep protecting dairy farmers' incomes and supply management. Dairy is important to many regions in Quebec. World Milk Day reminds us to thank dairy farmers. I'm concerned a new project might take land from some farms and hurt food security.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let us all raise a glass today in honour of World Milk Day. Today is a reminder of how important dairy farmers and processors are. Lucky for us, we have dairy farmers in almost every region of Quebec. The dairy sector is a major driver of rural development, employment and the vitality of our regions and local economies. Consequently, continuing to protect supply management is essential to ensuring stable incomes, supporting the next generation of farmers, preserving family farms and offering high-quality products that are among the best in the world. On this World Milk Day, I want to sincerely thank those who feed us with passion and make us proud. As I conclude, I want to point out that we need to think about Alto. We need to consider how it will impact agricultural land and the fact that it is putting nearly 1,700 properties at risk of expropriation. We are talking about 50 farms, many of which are dairy farms. This must be taken seriously if we want to protect our production capacity, our food security and the mental health of our farmers.

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Statements by Members

Broadcasting Hockey Games

2026-05-27

“Hockey fans in Gatineau want to watch Montreal Canadiens playoff games at the local arena, but the NHL and Ottawa Senators are stopping them. A mental health organization is also losing out on money from ticket sales. I'm unhappy about this.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of Ottawa Senators fans in the Outaouais region, and we salute them. However, there are also a lot of fans who love truly great hockey, and they want to watch the Montreal Canadiens' playoff games at the Slush Puppie Centre. However, the National Hockey League and the Senators are standing in their way. They invoked territorial rights to prevent Habs games from being broadcast in the arena. If the Senators want their games to be broadcast, all they have to do is not get eliminated after just four games. As a result, the people of Gatineau are missing out on a great event. Worse still, a local mental health organization is missing out on tens of thousands of dollars, because proceeds from ticket sales were supposed to go to it. Yesterday, the Quebec National Assembly unanimously joined the City of Gatineau and 7,700 petitioners in calling on the league and the Senators to back down. Quebec is Habs country, and that includes the home region of “Le Démon Blond”. Fans should be able to get together to cheer the Canadiens on all the way to the cup, because the people of Gatineau are chanting “Go, Habs, go”.

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Government Orders

Spring Economic Update 2026 Implementation Act

2026-05-25

“The government should spend more money on my favorite housing program. It will fix the problem.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleague from Vancouver East has two issues she is passionate about: the living conditions and housing conditions of first nations. In the budget statement, the government clearly fails to address two major concerns affecting many Canadians. In the current context, the government has missed an opportunity, particularly to implement initiatives such as the Yänonhchia' initiative, which provided powers by and for first nations and empowered them to make decisions regarding housing. It also included an investment fund that would have made it possible to reinvest funds. Is my colleague disappointed by the government's lack of solutions regarding indigenous housing and the increasingly urgent needs in this area?

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“I want the government to spend money helping a lumber mill in my riding turn into a biochar plant. The government is not doing enough to help regional economies like mine.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I spoke about Témiscamingue earlier. I will do so again because we did not get an answer in the economic statement about what is happening with the forestry industry, a key sector for Témiscamingue and for the Quebec and Canadian economy. There are no measures to help lumber mills retool. I am thinking in particular of the Béarn sawmill. In recent weeks, Chantiers Chibougamau announced that the mill was closing its doors. That hurts an economy like Témiscamingue's. Once again, the federal government is nowhere to be found when it comes to transforming the economy and making investments. Why not convert this mill into a biochar plant? However, that would require major investments, and the government is not stepping up to help with wage subsidies or countervailing duties either. When will the government really help regional economies, especially Témiscamingue's economy and forestry sector?

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“I want the federal government to spend more money building gyms, pools, and arenas in my riding. I don't like that a pool only has six lanes and another project cost $18.6 million. The government should spend more on sports programs for everyone, not just elite athletes.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, like Quebeckers generally, I am a bit fed up with the centralist, exclusive vision of elite sports that Canada constantly displays. My colleague alluded to this in his speech when he said he was proud to see investments of $750 million. In the meantime, families, young people and seniors are not getting any help even though they need access to physical activity too. Where is the federal government when the time comes to build infrastructure like gyms, pools and arenas? The need in Abitibi—Témiscamingue is desperate. I want to point out that Rouyn‑Noranda was forced to build a pool with only six lanes and that a project in Témiscamingue was cut back to the bare bones, with an investment of $18.6 million. We could search in vain to find a cheaper project in Canada. That is the bare minimum. Still, the federal government is nowhere to be found. Why is this happening? Why is the government boasting about this economic statement? Why are members boasting about investing in sports when the government is nowhere to be found when regular folks need help?

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STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Montreal Victoire

2026-05-25

“I'm gonna use my time today to cheer for a sports team I like.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I can hardly contain my excitement over the Montreal Victoire winning their very first Walter Cup. Our champions defeated the Ottawa Charge by a score of 4 to 0. This is the first time in the short history of the Professional Women's Hockey League that the cup has been won by a team north of the U.S. border. All Quebeckers are celebrating alongside our captain, the GOAT and playoff MVP Marie‑Philip Poulin, and Laura Stacey. All Quebeckers were on the edge of their seats, cheering on Ann-Renée Desbiens for her shutout and Catherine Dubois, Alexandra Labelle and Erin Ambrose for their hard work. All Quebeckers jumped for joy when Abby Roque scored two goals. Fortunately, the story does not end here. We will have another chance to applaud Danièle Sauvageau's team during Saturday's victory parade for the Victoire in Montreal. The victorious Victoire. Is there a finer or more natural role model for all those young girls who dream of taking to the ice themselves? I want to thank the team for their dedication to their sport. Well done. Long live the Victoire.

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Oral Questions

Health

2026-05-06

“I want to make the Liberals look bad for wasting money on a failed health software project.”

Oral Questions

Rail Transportation

2026-05-05

“Alto is taking people's farmland for a rail line. I want the Prime Minister to stop them and get the farmers' permission first.”

Statements by Members

100th Anniversary of Rouyn‑Noranda

2026-05-05

“I want everyone to celebrate the 100th anniversary of my riding, Rouyn-Noranda. My riding is the best. Also, go local sports team!”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, perhaps this is nothing more than a tall tale that started in Rouyn, but in the early part of the last century, two Anishinabe hunters, the Mackimoot brothers, returned to their community with a glittering stone from Conia Asini. Then, a prospector from Nova Scotia, Edmund Horne, took his canoe to the township of Rouyn. Once there, potentially as a result of contact with the Anishinabe, he discovered a huge copper deposit. Shortly thereafter buildings began to spring up, including Jos Dumulon's famous general store, the Osisko Hotel, the Horne mine and smelter, and the house that belonged to my great-grandfather Eugène Lemire. On May 5, exactly 100 years ago today, Rouyn became a town, a few weeks after Norcanda, which is what we would still be calling it today had it not been for a distracted printer. Rouyn-Noranda is the copper capital and self-proclaimed cultural capital of Quebec. It is also the capital of endless possibilities. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the incredible journey of our hockey team, the Huskies, who truly reflect who we are: often overlooked but hard-working, proud people with heart and soul who never give up. I would like to welcome everyone to join us in the celebrations.

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Government Orders

Report Stage

2026-05-04

“I want my colleague to say whether she thinks this will hurt the government's reputation. They ignored the voices of the people we're supposed to be helping. The opposition tried to help, but the government rejected our ideas. What message does that send to the people who served our country?”

“I'm saying the other party is arrogant for rejecting changes that a judge recommended. The other party bought off some MPs so they have a fake majority. I want the other MP to say how she feels about this.”

Oral Questions

Public Services and Procurement

2026-05-04

“I'm piling on the attack against the Liberals. I don't like that they stopped several investigations. I want the Prime Minister to act.”

“The Liberals spent another $451 million on Cúram problems they denied existed. Now they're using their majority to hide this from Quebeckers.”