Denis Trudel

[Privilege, October 10th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, we agree that more accountability and transparency are needed. We agree, but we have been talking about this for a week now. Could we move on to something else?

We have a housing crisis and a climate crisis going on right now. Farmers were out in front of Parliament today demanding justice because the unelected Senate is paralyzing the House of Commons. The Senate is actually laughing at us right now. The Bloc Québécois is talking about it. Seniors are not being treated fairly in this country. There are plenty of issues we could talk about.

Does my colleague agree that it is about time we moved on to something else?

[Committees of the House, October 9th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I found my colleague's speech very interesting.

When it comes to new technology, whether it be AI or facial recognition, it is very troubling to see what states like China, Iran and Russia are doing. They can use these technologies against people in their country or around the world who are protesting.

I recently read a book by Portuguese author José Rodriguez dos Santos, a former journalist. He wrote a novel about how China is using AI against Uyghur communities. It was rather terrifying.

I would like my colleague to talk a bit about how Canada is always lagging behind when it comes to new technologies. Right now, in Quebec, many people are looking into the impact that screens are having on young people. Screens are here. They are already part of our lives. It is a bit too late now. It is the same thing with AI. AI is already here. Some states are already using it. Here in Parliament, we are presenting reports and talking about the effects of these new technologies.

What does my colleague think that we could do to make sure that we are not always lagging behind when it comes to new technologies?

[Homelessness Awareness Night, October 8th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, October 18 is homelessness awareness night, when we will once again gather to shine a light on a reality that is affecting far too many people.

This year's theme, the 100 faces of homelessness, draws attention to the fact that behind the often misunderstood word “homeless” are people with diverse backgrounds and stories, in other words, human beings. Homelessness does not have just one face. A young man who ran away from an unstable home, an isolated senior who has been forgotten by society, a worker in a precarious financial situation who is unable to make ends meet or an individual who is suffering from mental health problems or addiction can all be homeless. No matter how they may appear to us, they are all human beings with hopes and dreams and a desire to find meaning in their life.

Homelessness awareness night is more than just an event. It is a reminder of our collective responsibility, because behind every face there is a person with a story, who deserves to be heard, respected and supported.

[Privilege, October 7th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I have been listening to the debates for a while now, and I am feeling somewhat uneasy. I am wondering whether my colleague feels the same way.

The Bloc Québécois is obviously in favour of the motion. As we have said, the government must be held accountable, especially when it comes to corruption. We agree on that, and it has been stated repeatedly this morning.

However, I am uncomfortable with holding up the government's work for so long when there are so many incredibly important issues at stake. We have often talked about the housing crisis. There is the chronic underfunding of health care. There are long lines at hospitals in Quebec, and the solution is here in Ottawa. There is the fight against climate change. There are public finances. There are the seniors we have been talking about. There are so many topics we could be talking about, but everything is at a standstill because of this one debate.

I am not really okay with this. Does my colleague share my unease?

[Business of Supply, September 24th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, today, we are examining a motion that asks us whether we have confidence in the government.

My colleague talked a lot about history, but I would like to remind him of two or three facts.

We could look back at the Second World War, when a federal government got elected by promising that it would never impose conscription, but conscription did happen. We could look back at 1970, when 500 Quebeckers were imprisoned for no reason, without rights, because of a Liberal government order. We could look back at the night of the long knives in 1982, when an agreement was signed with all of the premiers behind Quebec's back. We could look back at Meech Lake, when an attempt was made to reintegrate Quebec into the Constitution. Quebec had minimal demands, but they were all dismissed out of hand.

Today, we are being asked whether Quebeckers have confidence in the Liberal government. No, we do not. We did not have confidence in it yesterday, we do not have confidence in it today, and we will not have confidence in it tomorrow, but we also do not have confidence in the Conservatives. We do not have confidence in the NDP either. We do not have confidence in anyone in the House.

The Bloc Québécois exists because Quebeckers' rights have been violated for 150 years under the Constitution. This is not an issue that is going to be resolved today.

[Local Media in Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, September 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the local media plays a crucial role in the vitality and cohesion of communities across Quebec. In my home community of Longueuil, FM 103.3, the south shore community radio station, recently won community radio station of the year at Les rencontres de l'ADISQ for its commitment to promoting emerging francophone artists and their music. By giving a voice to local artists and bringing its audience closer to the arts, FM 103.3 strengthens the region's cultural identity.

TVRS, which is celebrating 35 years on the air, continues to serve the community with rich and diverse programming. By focusing on local events and history, TVRS reflects the day-to-day reality of its viewers, helping provide the local news essential to the well-being of the community.

These two media venues demonstrate just how important it is to have strong local news that builds ties and brings everyone closer together in our communities. I thank them so much for being community builders. We will continue to fight for them.

[Online Harms Act, September 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I think Bill C‑63 is important. Online hate is a major problem for us politicians on a daily basis. There is also the issue of non-consensual sharing of intimate images, child pornography, hate speech and so on. It is a major issue and it needs to be tackled.

I would like to hear my colleague talk about the safeguards that are included in Bill C‑63 to ensure that no one is infringing on freedom of expression. That is always the challenge. Of course, people are spewing nonsense everywhere, and it would be nice if people would stop saying whatever comes to mind on social media. That said, we do not want to limit freedom of expression.

What kind of safeguards are included in Bill C‑63?

[Canada Labour Code, September 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I was saying that my colleague from Rivière-du-Nord and I introduced a bill to limit the use of the Jordan decision for serious crimes.

These two bills share a common concern: guaranteeing access to justice for the victims. The bills try to correct flaws in the legal system, flaws that, as they stand, can deny some victims the chance to assert their rights.

In the case of Bill C‑378, the purpose is to provide victims of workplace harassment and violence with more time to make a complaint, in order to help them overcome the psychological and administrative obstacles associated with these traumatic situations.

In the case of the proposal to limit the use of the Jordan decision for serious crimes, the purpose is to prevent the accused from evading justice because of excessive court delays. Jordan sets strict deadlines for trials, and it has at times allowed individuals charged with serious crimes to be acquitted, jeopardizing the safety of the victims and the integrity of the justice system.

Both bills seek to restore balance between victims' rights and legal requirements, while preventing procedural formalities from compromising justice. By extending access to justice, in the case of Bill C‑378, and by tightening up the legal loopholes arising from the Jordan decision, these two bills share a vision of a fair, effective justice system centred on the victims' needs.

In conclusion, the Bloc Québécois is proud to support this initiative. We hope that all members of the House can grasp the importance of this legislation to this country's workers. Indeed, there can be no justice without recognition for victims' rights, which is exactly what this bill seeks to achieve.

[Canada Labour Code, September 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House this morning. This is the first time I am rising since Parliament resumed. I would like to take this opportunity to wish my colleagues a good return. The session may be cut short. We shall see what the next few days and weeks bring. We are being kept in suspense. In any case, according to the media, the suspense is rather intense right now.

I truly hope, as my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles said earlier, that we will be able to soften the tone a bit this fall and focus on working for the well-being of Quebeckers and Canadians. I hope we can do that. It is not easy, judging by the tone we heard all last week, but I truly hope that we can do it. I think it is possible. I think we have elevated the debate before, and I hope we can do so again.

Before I continue, I would also like to congratulate the candidates and winners of last week's two by-elections, in which I was an active participant. I commend all of the candidates. In this day and age, putting one's face on posters and wanting to work for the common good takes courage, no matter which party someone is seeking to represent. Not everyone here shares the same vision for the common good, but I think that most of us are trying to work toward that. Everyone who ran in the two by-elections did so with that goal in mind, and I commend them for that. I especially want to congratulate the two winners, the NDP candidate who won in Manitoba and, obviously, the Bloc Québécois candidate who won a great victory. We stayed up very late last Monday evening, until 2:30 in the morning, to find out the results, and the Bloc Québécois won. That is a great victory. I look forward to our new candidate's arrival in the House. He is a bright, intelligent young man who is full of ideas and who will rise in the House to strongly defend the interests and values of Quebeckers. I am sure that he will. We will see when he arrives.

I am delighted to speak to the bill tabled by my colleague from Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, for whom I have a great deal of respect. I am fond of my colleague. I am not so fond of the Conservative Party's ideas in general, but I have a great deal of respect for my colleague. I rise today in support of Bill C‑378, an important bill to protect the rights of federally regulated workers. It would extend from three months to two years the period during which a former employee may file a complaint for harassment or violence in the workplace.

As members know, the Bloc Québécois has always been a staunch defender of workers' rights. Before the summer break, much was said about the anti-scab bill. The NDP had tabled the bill, and it was finally passed. Obviously, we supported it. In fact, over the past 30 years, the Bloc Québécois has introduced anti-scab bills 11 times. We settled this issue in Quebec 50 years ago. This happens all the time in the House. The House has debated countless bills on issues that Quebec has already dealt with. Take child care and pharmacare, for example. Quebec addressed both of those a long time ago. However, here they are still being debated. The Bloc Québécois members often feel as though we are working to help Canada catch up with Quebec. That is what we are doing most of the time.

Yes, we have always been staunch defenders of workers, and we firmly believe that this bill represents a major step forward in the fight against harassment and violence in the workplace. It is high time we recognized that victims of these kinds of incidents need more time to come forward, especially in cases where they are under tremendous psychological or physical stress.

Currently, federally regulated employees have only three months to file a complaint after leaving their job. This is simply too soon for many victims. The consequences of harassment and violence in the workplace do not disappear overnight. Too often, victims of workplace harassment or violence continue to suffer the after-effects long after they have left their job. They face emotional difficulties and mental health issues and, in many cases, are reluctant to speak out against their abusers for fear of reprisals or career stigma. This bill provides a concrete solution to that problem. Extending the time frame to two years gives victims time to heal, catch their breath and find the strength to file a complaint.

Two years is a reasonable amount of time for workers who have been unjustly treated to take the necessary steps to seek justice.

Workplace harassment and violence are not isolated problems. The Department of Employment and Social Development released a report entitled “2021 Annual Report – Taking Action Against Harassment and Violence in Work Places under Canadian Federal Jurisdiction” that revealed some alarming figures. In 2021, employees working in federally regulated industry sectors reported an absolutely staggering 4,950 occurrences of harassment and violence. The federal public service, banks and the transportation sector are among the main sectors where these incidents occur most often.

These figures unequivocally show that the fight against workplace harassment and violence is an ongoing process that is far from over. We need to strengthen protections for workers, and that includes allowing former employees to file complaints long after they leave the company.

It is also important to remember that these incidents often have serious repercussions, not only on the victims' professional lives, but also on their personal lives. The physical and psychological repercussions of workplace harassment and violence can persist long after the incident, which is why this bill is so important. It gives victims more time to come forward.

Passing this bill will send a clear message. Workers in federally regulated sectors deserve a safe and respectful work environment. The Bloc Québécois has always supported measures to protect workers and guarantee decent working conditions. We are pleased to see this bill move forward, just as we were pleased to see Bill C-58, which bans the use of scabs, pass recently. These are historic victories for workers' rights, and we must keep up the momentum.

I would also like to draw a parallel with the bill I introduced with my colleague from Rivière-du-Nord, Rhéal Fortin. I apologize, Mr. Speaker.

[Electoral Participation Act, June 18th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, as is often the case with the Liberals, this is a pretty hypocritical piece of legislation. On the pretext of expanding democracy or access to democracy for senior citizens, students and so forth, we are presented with a bill that is actually aimed at allowing Liberal members at risk of losing their election to qualify for a pension.

If such a thing is even possible in the House, I would like my colleague to tell us in good conscience what he thinks of the substance of this bill. At a time when there is a housing crisis, when senior citizens are struggling and when every dollar is needed to help Canadians, what does he think of the fact that we are spending hours debating and voting on a bill aimed solely at allowing Liberal members to collect a pension? When he looks into his heart, what does he think of this?