Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2024-04-08 21:55:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mrs. Maril\u00e8ne Gill (Manicouagan, BQ)",
        "fr": "Mme Maril\u00e8ne Gill (Manicouagan, BQ)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"8314078\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Madam Chair, I am pleased to be here this evening to talk about softwood lumber. I wish to inform you that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from <a data-HoCid=\"278114\" href=\"/politicians/richard-bragdon/\" title=\"Richard Bragdon\">Tobique\u2014Mactaquac</a>. I have had some good discussions with him on the issue of natural resources.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314079\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Speaking of natural resources, I would also like to thank my colleagues from the Bloc Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois forestry caucus, including my colleague from <a data-HoCid=\"278373\" href=\"/politicians/simon-pierre-savard-tremblay/\" title=\"Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay\">Saint-Hyacinthe\u2014Bagot</a>, the international trade critic, and my colleague from <a data-HoCid=\"278335\" href=\"/politicians/mario-simard/\" title=\"Mario Simard\">Jonqui\u00e8re</a>, the natural resources critic. I am also thinking of the members from Abitibi, <a data-HoCid=\"278766\" href=\"/politicians/rene-villemure/\" title=\"Ren\u00e9 Villemure\">Trois-Rivi\u00e8res</a>, the Lower St. Lawrence, the Gasp\u00e9, the Magdalen Islands and <a data-HoCid=\"278393\" href=\"/politicians/alexis-brunelle-duceppe/\" title=\"Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe\">Lac-Saint-Jean</a>, because there certainly is quite a bit of forest in Quebec.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314080\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Quebec accounts for 20% of softwood lumber production. This industry supports entire communities. It is the backbone of the economy. I commend my colleagues. I also commend the Quebeckers who are keeping that economy, these communities, these workers, these unions and these businesses going.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314081\" data-originallang=\"fr\">I am beginning my ninth year as an MP. I was elected in 2015, a year that could have given us hope. In 2013, Quebeckers had adopted a new forestry system, one that we had worked on for several years. At the same time, an outdated agreement that had been signed by the Conservative government of the day expired. We were expecting something to be done about that.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314082\" data-originallang=\"fr\">However, it has been nine years, and I have to say that nothing has been done yet. We are still at the same point, despite the opportunities we have had. I think that every one of my colleagues talked about it in the House this evening. There were many opportunities, including NAFTA and CUSMA, but none of them were taken.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314083\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Being here tonight with my colleagues, I feel as though I should say that this is what the Bloc Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois is all about. We are the only ones bringing this debate to the House. We almost never hear about forests. We do not hear about softwood lumber or countervailing or anti-dumping duties. They come up at times, such as every time the United States says it is going to impose these duties, then a minister stands up and says that the government is not going to let it happen this time, that Canada is not going to take it. Six months later, when the duties are imposed, the minister says the same thing, that the government will not let it happen and that it does not make any sense at all.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314084\" data-originallang=\"fr\">However, since 2015, unless I missed something, nothing has changed, but I am open to being corrected. Sometimes, I have seen strokes of genius. We figured that we were truly dependent on the United States and that the Canadian market depended on the United States, and we wondered what would happen. There was talk of diversifying the Quebec market and turning to Asia. There were programs like that and I specifically remember a minister who offered that. However, to us, that changes absolutely nothing.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314085\" data-originallang=\"fr\">The Bloc Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois has asked for several measures, including loan guarantees. However, I talk to my industries. I am thinking of Mr. St\u2011Gelais from Boisaco, who I talk to quite frequently. What we are asking is for the forestry regime to be recognized.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314086\" data-originallang=\"fr\">How is it that, on the other side of the border, no one says a word on this issue? I was listening to my colleague from <a data-HoCid=\"278373\" href=\"/politicians/simon-pierre-savard-tremblay/\" title=\"Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay\">Saint-Hyacinthe\u2014Bagot</a> earlier. He said that every time he goes to the U.S., he meets with congressional representatives and several people from the industry, including members of the National Association of Home Builders. He meets with them. The members of the National Association of Home Builders raise the issue, but the Canadian delegation members do not.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314087\" data-originallang=\"fr\">I am somewhat concerned that the same thing happened during the NAFTA renegotiations. I fear that softwood lumber was used as a bargaining chip. The government may have defended the auto sector and Ontario, but it could not be bothered to defend Quebec. New Brunswick does not have much to say regarding countervailing and anti-dumping duties. The same goes for British Columbia. Only Quebec seems to find this really difficult, but the government is saying too bad, that it is going to protect the auto sector instead.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314088\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Understandably, a debate like tonight's brings the softwood lumber issue to the fore once again. I would like the official opposition and the government to step up and say that they are going to do something. As my colleague from British Columbia said, for the past 42 years, which is nearly my age, nothing has changed and our businesses are still paying the price because they cannot invest, modernize or expand. Quebec is the one paying the price, because of both the official opposition and the government.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"8314078\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Madame la pr\u00e9sidente, \u00e7a me fait plaisir d'\u00eatre ici ce soir pour parler de bois d'\u0153uvre. J'aimerais tout d'abord vous informer que je partagerai mon temps de parole avec mon <a data-HoCid=\"278114\" href=\"/politicians/richard-bragdon/\" title=\"Richard Bragdon\">coll\u00e8gue de Tobique\u2014Mactaquac</a>, avec qui j'ai eu de bonnes discussions sur la question des ressources naturelles.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314079\" data-originallang=\"fr\">En parlant de ressources naturelles, j'aimerais \u00e9galement remercier mes coll\u00e8gues du caucus du bois du Bloc qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois, entre autres, mon <a data-HoCid=\"278373\" href=\"/politicians/simon-pierre-savard-tremblay/\" title=\"Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay\">coll\u00e8gue de Saint\u2011Hyacinthe\u2014Bagot</a>, porte-parole en mati\u00e8re de commerce international, de m\u00eame que mon <a data-HoCid=\"278335\" href=\"/politicians/mario-simard/\" title=\"Mario Simard\">coll\u00e8gue de Jonqui\u00e8re</a>, porte-parole en mati\u00e8re en ressources naturelles. Je pense aussi aux d\u00e9put\u00e9s de l'Abitibi, de <a data-HoCid=\"278766\" href=\"/politicians/rene-villemure/\" title=\"Ren\u00e9 Villemure\">Trois\u2011Rivi\u00e8res</a>, du Bas\u2011Saint\u2011Laurent, de la Gasp\u00e9sie, des \u00celes\u2011de\u2011la\u2011Madeleine et du <a data-HoCid=\"278393\" href=\"/politicians/alexis-brunelle-duceppe/\" title=\"Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe\">Lac Saint\u2011Jean</a> parce que, de la for\u00eat, il y en a au Qu\u00e9bec.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314080\" data-originallang=\"fr\">C'est 20 % de la production du bois d'\u0153uvre qui est faite au Qu\u00e9bec, donc chez nous. \u00c7a fait vivre des communaut\u00e9s enti\u00e8res. C'est un v\u00e9ritable pilier \u00e9conomique. Donc, je salue mes coll\u00e8gues. Je salue \u00e9galement les gens de chez nous qui tiennent cette \u00e9conomie, ces communaut\u00e9s, ces travailleurs, ces syndicats et ces entreprises \u00e0 bout de bras.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314081\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Je commence ma neuvi\u00e8me ann\u00e9e en tant que d\u00e9put\u00e9e ici. J'ai \u00e9t\u00e9 \u00e9lue en 2015, une ann\u00e9e qui pouvait nous donner de l'espoir. Nous, Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois, avions adopt\u00e9 un nouveau r\u00e9gime forestier en 2013, r\u00e9gime sur lequel nous avions travaill\u00e9 pendant plusieurs ann\u00e9es. En m\u00eame temps prenait fin une entente devenue caduque et qui avait \u00e9t\u00e9 conclue par le gouvernement conservateur de l'\u00e9poque. Nous nous attendions donc \u00e0 ce que quelque chose soit fait.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314082\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Pourtant, \u00e7a fait neuf ans et je dois dire que rien n'a encore \u00e9t\u00e9 fait. On en est encore au m\u00eame point malgr\u00e9 les possibilit\u00e9s qu'on a eues. Je pense que chacun de mes coll\u00e8gues en a parl\u00e9 \u00e0 la Chambre ce soir. Il y a eu plusieurs possibilit\u00e9s, dont l'ALENA et l'ACEUM, mais aucune n'a \u00e9t\u00e9 saisie.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314083\" data-originallang=\"fr\">En arrivant ici ce soir avec mes coll\u00e8gues, j'ai envie de dire que c'est \u00e0 \u00e7a que \u00e7a sert, le Bloc qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois. Nous sommes les seuls \u00e0 apporter ce d\u00e9bat \u00e0 la Chambre. On n'entend presque jamais parler de for\u00eats. On n'entend pas parler de bois d'\u0153uvre. On n'entend pas parler de droits compensateurs ou antidumping. On en entend parler parfois, peut-\u00eatre \u00e0 chaque fois que les \u00c9tats\u2011Unis disent qu'ils vont imposer ces droits. C'est alors qu'un ministre se l\u00e8ve et dit qu'on ne laissera pas faire \u00e7a cette fois-l\u00e0, que ce n'est pas vrai qu'on va accepter. Six mois plus tard, quand les droits sont impos\u00e9s, le ministre dit la m\u00eame chose, qu'on ne laissera pas faire \u00e7a et que \u00e7a n'a vraiment aucun sens.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314084\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Cependant, depuis 2015, \u00e0 moins qu'il y ait quelque chose que je n'ai pas vu passer \u2014 qu'on me corrige si c'est le cas \u2014, je n'ai vu aucun changement. Parfois, j'ai vu des \u00e9clairs de g\u00e9nie. On se disait qu'on \u00e9tait vraiment \u00e0 la remorque des \u00c9tats\u2011Unis et que le march\u00e9 canadien d\u00e9pendait des \u00c9tats\u2011Unis, et se demandait ce qu'on allait faire. On se disait qu'on allait diversifier le march\u00e9 qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois et aller vers l'Asie. Il y a eu des programmes comme \u00e7a et je me souviens notamment d'un ministre qui avait offert \u00e7a. Par contre, pour nous, \u00e7a ne change absolument rien.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314085\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Le Bloc qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois a demand\u00e9 plusieurs mesures, dont des garanties de pr\u00eat. Cependant, je parle \u00e0 mes industries, et je pense notamment \u00e0 M. St\u2011Gelais de Boisaco, avec qui je parle tr\u00e8s fr\u00e9quemment. Ce que nous demandons, c'est de reconna\u00eetre le r\u00e9gime forestier.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314086\" data-originallang=\"fr\"> Comment se fait-il qu'une fois de l'autre c\u00f4t\u00e9 de la fronti\u00e8re, personne ne prenne la parole l\u00e0-dessus? J'\u00e9coutais mon <a data-HoCid=\"278373\" href=\"/politicians/simon-pierre-savard-tremblay/\" title=\"Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay\">coll\u00e8gue de Saint\u2011Hyacinthe\u2014Bagot</a> plus t\u00f4t. Il disait que, chaque fois qu'il va aux \u00c9tats\u2011Unis, il rencontre des repr\u00e9sentants du Congr\u00e8s et plusieurs personnes du milieu de l'industrie, notamment les membres de la National Association of Home Builders. Il les rencontre. Eux en parlent, les membres de la National Association of Home Builders. Par contre, les Canadiens dans les d\u00e9l\u00e9gations n'en parlent pas.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314087\" data-originallang=\"fr\">J'ai un peu peur que ce soit exactement la m\u00eame chose qui se soit produite lors de la ren\u00e9gociation de l'ALENA. J'ai peur que le bois d'\u0153uvre ait \u00e9t\u00e9 une monnaie d'\u00e9change. On a peut-\u00eatre d\u00e9fendu le secteur automobile et l'Ontario, mais, pour le Qu\u00e9bec, on s'est dit bof. Le Nouveau\u2011Brunswick ne parle pas trop fort des droits compensateurs et antidumping. C'est la m\u00eame chose en Colombie\u2011Britannique. Alors, il n'y a donc que le Qu\u00e9bec qui trouve \u00e7a vraiment difficile, mais on se dit qu'on va laisser passer et qu'on va plut\u00f4t prot\u00e9ger plut\u00f4t le secteur automobile.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8314088\" data-originallang=\"fr\">On comprendra qu'un d\u00e9bat comme celui de ce soir met encore une fois sur la table la question du bois d'\u0153uvre. J'aimerais bien, tant du c\u00f4t\u00e9 de l'opposition officielle que du c\u00f4t\u00e9 du gouvernement, que quelqu'un arrive et dise qu'il va faire quelque chose. Comme le dit mon coll\u00e8gue de la Colombie\u2011Britannique, depuis 42 ans, quasiment mon \u00e2ge, rien n'a boug\u00e9 et nos entreprises paient toujours parce qu'elles ne peuvent pas investir, se moderniser ou se d\u00e9velopper. C'est le Qu\u00e9bec qui paie, tant \u00e0 cause de l'opposition officielle que du gouvernement.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2024/4/8/marilene-gill-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/marilene-gill/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4433/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "12660363",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Government Orders",
        "fr": "Ordres \u00e9manant du gouvernement"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Softwood Lumber",
        "fr": "Le bois d\u2019\u0153uvre"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2024/4/8/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2024%2F4%2F8%2F"
    }
}