Serge Cormier

“The member says he wants to help people in New Brunswick, but he voted against programs that give them food, money for their children, and help for local fishers. He voted against every program that helps his community.”

“Madam Speaker, when I was listening to my colleague from New Brunswick, he said that he wants to help his constituents and wants to help New Brunswickers, but he also said that families are experiencing food insecurity. He voted against the school food program. He voted against the groceries and essentials benefit. He voted against the Canada child benefit. Imagine saying that families are experiencing some difficulty and then voting against all those programs. Every time it was time to help New Brunswickers and his constituents, he voted against. He talks about the crab fishermen and lobster fishermen in my riding. He voted against the Atlantic fisheries fund, the top-up for small craft harbours and the $1 billion that we just announced. He voted against everything. What is he going to vote against the next time?”

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“My riding is building a lot of new homes, beating its targets by more than 300%. Affordable living means lower housing costs. I want the parliamentary secretary to explain our government's housing and infrastructure programs.”

“Mr. Speaker, since my colleague is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, I am sure she will be able to tell us about a few housing-related programs. In my riding, houses are springing up like mushrooms, so to speak. Municipalities across my riding are exceeding their construction targets by more than 300%. When we talk about affordability, we mean ensuring that people can find housing at a lower cost. I wonder if my colleague can talk about the various infrastructure and housing programs in the minister’s portfolio.”

“I want to thank Corporal Sylvain Bergeron of the RCMP. He jumped into cold, rough water to save a drowning girl.”

“Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to a true hero from my region, Corporal Sylvain Bergeron of the Lamèque RCMP detachment. On June 2, in Chiasson Office, a teenage girl in severe distress entered the icy, choppy waters and was found more than 100 feet from shore. Upon arriving at the scene, Corporal Bergeron realized she was in imminent danger. Without a moment’s hesitation, he jumped into the water to rescue her. Risking his own safety, he swam out to her, kept her from drowning and brought her safely back to shore, despite the extremely difficult conditions. Sometimes, in the darkest moments, there are people who choose to act with remarkable composure. On that day, Corporal Bergeron embodied the best of what public service represents: dedication, compassion and courage. On behalf of all the citizens of Acadie—Bathurst and the members of the House of Commons, I extend to him our most sincere thanks, our deep gratitude and our utmost admiration. I also wish the young lady a speedy recovery.”

“The housing accelerator fund helped towns build homes. News reports say the Conservative leader told his MPs not to help their local towns get this money. Since the member was once a mayor, I want to know if he was told not to support housing projects for his own community.”

“Mr. Speaker, my colleague said that he was a mayor before being an MP. There was a program that was very helpful for municipalities. It was the housing accelerator fund, just like the Build Canada Homes program. This is what their leader was telling them. This article says, “Conservative MPs frustrated after [their leader] bars them from promoting housing fund”. The Conservative leader “instructed Conservative MPs to stop advocating on behalf of municipalities in their ridings who want to obtain funds [for housing].” The member said that he was a mayor. Was he one of the members who were told not to send a letter of support for a housing project in his municipality?”

“Conservative members asked for housing money even though their leader told them not to. Our government made a deal with New Brunswick to build up to 1,500 homes. I want the minister to tell us more about that agreement.”

“Madam Speaker, I find it very funny that one member of the Conservative Party was talking about sending emails to the minister when his leader was asking the members of the Conservative Party not to send letters of support for projects under the housing accelerator fund. Can members imagine that? We welcomed the minister in New Brunswick a couple of months ago for a wonderful announcement, a $300‑million agreement with New Brunswick to be able to build up to 1,500 N.B. homes. Can the minister elaborate a bit more on this wonderful agreement we signed with New Brunswick? There are actually announcements happening right now across New Brunswick about some of those projects.”

“Our government funded a public transit system that now connects my riding and my colleague's riding. The Conservatives voted against that money. I want my colleague to explain how this transit helps local people and tourists.”

“Mr. Speaker, I too want to thank my riding neighbour for his speech. He talked a lot about infrastructure. There is an infrastructure fund that has been very useful for his riding and mine. The Conservatives voted against that fund. It is the rural transit solutions fund. My riding and my colleague’s riding are now connected by a public transit system, which is something our ridings did not have before. My colleagues can imagine how hard it was not having public transit. Now we do have public transit in our ridings thanks to the programs that the government implemented. Could my colleague tell us how this program has helped people in his region get to other regions? Could he also tell us how even tourists to our region are now able to benefit from this new service?”

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“My region lost a lot of mining jobs in the past, but the changes in this budget bill are helping new mines start up. Will these changes help bring new mining projects to your riding too?”

“Mr. Speaker, and I just want to thank my colleague for her speech. It is wonderful to work with her. She is a new colleague. She is doing great work. I know how good she is. She is representing a rural riding just like me. In the last spring economic statement, there was $1 billion for small craft harbours, and I know that she was a big part of this investment. She was talking about some of the amendments that are in this bill, and she was talked about mining. I had a lot of mining industry in my region back in the day, but it has closed. There were 2,000 people laid off at a mine in my region back in 2013. Now with these new amendments that are being putting forward and this new process, we see new mine projects coming into play. Can the member tell us if amendments like that would also help her riding with new projects of this kind?”

“The Conservatives cut money for arts and culture in the past and did not care about artists. Our government has invested in culture since 2015, including permanent funding for National Acadian Day.”

“Madam Speaker, it always makes me smile when I hear the Conservatives say they are interested in culture. I remember the Harper government’s cuts to culture quite clearly. Some artists in my riding took to the streets to call for help, but the government of the day refused to listen. Let me once again remind my colleagues what Stephen Harper said in the beginning. He said that artists were complaining with their mouths full and that regular people were not interested in culture. Imagine saying things like that about artists. Of all the great investments that we have made in culture since 2015, the one nearest and dearest to my heart was the decision to fund National Acadian Day permanently and at double the amount. I hope that my colleague can clarify for me what support we have provided to artists over the years.”

“The Conservatives say they want to help people, but they voted against my bill for a school food program. How does voting against food for students help the kids in the member's riding?”

“Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked about helping others, helping Canadians and helping people in his riding. The Conservatives are saying that they are standing up for people, but when I presented a PMB in this room to create a school food program, the Conservatives voted against it. Can my colleague tell me how this helps kids in schools in his riding? I know he visited some of them, just like I did in my riding.”

“I want to congratulate musicians from my riding who won East Coast Music Awards. La Famille LeBlanc and JP LeBlanc both won awards and shared our Acadian culture.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to some fabulous artists from my riding of Acadie—Bathurst. First, there is La Famille LeBlanc, a family of extraordinarily talented musicians who just won the Francophone Acadian artist of the year award at the East Coast Music Awards. For years, this family has been generously sharing the traditional Acadian music that brings generations closer together and strikes a chord deep within our communities. Their authenticity, stage presence and love of music make them true ambassadors of our Acadian culture and identity. Second, I want to applaud JP LeBlanc for winning the blues release of the year award. His exceptional gift and his passion for music are helping to put New Brunswick and Acadia on the musical map. I want to congratulate Robin, Rébecca, Charlotte, Rosalie and Mélodie LeBlanc, not to mention JP LeBlanc, on their outstanding accomplishments and thank them for shining a spotlight on our beloved Acadia.”