Richard Lehoux

[International Trade, February 4th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take advantage of the presence of Canadian dairy farmers on the Hill this week to remind the government that it promised to conduct impact studies on the concessions made in previous free trade agreements. The government is about to ratify a new agreement, but it has still not disclosed the impact of those concessions. We keep asking for those studies, but we are not getting a response. The dairy industry is one of the hardest-hit sectors.

Will the government finally give Canadians answers?

[International Trade, January 31st, 2020]

Madam Speaker, many businesses in my riding are worried about the impact of the new agreement. The government made significant concessions and the agriculture sector is among the hardest hit. We asked for studies and more information about the impacts these concessions may have on our industry several times but we have yet to receive anything.

When will this government take action and give us real answers?

[Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, January 30th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I appreciated my colleague's speech. He spoke a lot about innovation and technology, which was very interesting. I think it is important and worthwhile for SMEs to have access to new technologies.

You mentioned that SMEs are very important. They are important in your riding, in my riding and in many ridings across Quebec and Canada.

Does the new NAFTA give our SMEs, especially those in the regions, an opportunity to access all of these new technologies?

[Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, January 30th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech. I enjoyed his history lesson on security. My question is about another aspect of security, namely food safety.

Opening up our markets is great, but what assurances do we have that other countries will apply the same standards as we do here on our products? In the dairy industry, for example, our neighbours to the south allow the use of hormones that are banned in Canada. When it comes to food safety, I have questions, and I would like to hear what my colleague has to say about this issue.

[Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, January 30th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague opposite for his speech.

Many businesses in my riding are feeling the effects of the new agreement. The agricultural sector is one of those hardest hit. Supply-managed producers, including dairy farmers, will see their market shrink by 3.6%. How will they be compensated for those losses?

We know that, in addition to this reduction for dairy farmers, another very important aspect is the need for approval from the agreement partners before new markets can be developed, following the loss of classes 6 and 7. Where is our sovereignty in this very important economic sector?

How can the government claim to have made gains for that sector?

[Business of Supply, January 28th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, in 2015, the Liberals were elected on a promise to run small deficits in order to invest in infrastructure. It is now 2020. The deficits are enormous, and promises to invest $188 billion in infrastructure have not been kept.

I am not the one saying so. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that overall growth in public infrastructure spending has not changed. Billions of taxpayer dollars that were promised for infrastructure have gone missing.

Can my colleague tell us how his government lost track of those billions of dollars?

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, December 6th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has completely abandoned farmers.

Farmers across the country have many reasons to be concerned: dairy, egg and poultry producers still have not received full compensation; inaction on China, which continues to ban imports of western canola; uncertainty in fuel transport, which led to a propane shortage and nearly caused a disaster in Ontario and Quebec.

What does this government plan to do to stand up for our farmers?

[Address in Reply, December 5th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to thank all the voters in the riding of Beauce, which I am very proud to represent. It is a hotbed of entrepreneurship. Small and medium-sized businesses are a key pillar of our economy, especially in the regions. SMEs provide jobs for hundreds of thousands of people and create wealth across the country.

Sadly, this government has launched a direct attack on them by claiming they are being used to pay less tax. That is an insult, given that we know these are often family businesses that are struggling to stay afloat. Indeed, one of the things that these roughly 200,000 SMEs want is for the government to cut the red tape that is keeping them from succeeding.

Will the government finally understand this and help Canadian SMEs, instead of insulting them and standing in their way?