Mr. Speaker, the member for Honoré-Mercier said that he learned a lot from his defeat. Unfortunately, the member for Louis‑Saint‑Laurent has never lost, so we do not know what his limitations are. I have lost three times, however, so I am a very learned person.

It is an honour for me to rise to bid farewell to our colleague from Honoré-Mercier. For a long time, he was part of the Liberal government that keeps interfering in the jurisdictions of Quebec and the provinces. We, in the Bloc Québécois, have often said that if anyone wants to look after Quebec's affairs, then they should just go to Quebec, so I thank the member for Honoré-Mercier for listening to the Bloc Québécois. Some say that the Bloc Québécois is not good for anything, but now members can see that we have our uses.

The member for Honoré-Mercier is the Mini-Wheat of the House of Commons. As members know, Mini-Wheats have one side that is frosted and one side that is healthy. The member has a rabble-rouser side and a wise side. Since I was the House leader of the Bloc Québécois when he was the government House leader, I got to know his wise side and, unfortunately, I got to know his rabble-rouser side too, as one can imagine. Let us just say that he liked to fan the flames and put on a show in the House. Honestly, we liked that. Even if the member for Honoré-Mercier did tend to do that, he does not have any enemies that I know of. Everyone thinks he is funny and kind, and we do too.

I want to say that I did not rise to speak because I like to pick fights. He often referred to Bloc Québécois members as grumpy smurfs because we are blue at heart, but that is not why I rose to speak.

I know I am not allowed to say his name in the House, but the member has a strategy I call the “Pablo technique”. He is cunning. During question period, I often have a block of two questions, and he knows that we have blocks of two or three. During his first answer, he goes easy on us because he knows there will be another question. In response to our last question, he then goes on a rant. That is when he makes us pay. He knows we cannot respond, even if what he is saying makes no sense. That is the “Pablo technique”. I do not know if anyone in the Liberal Party has caught on, but if the Conservatives end up on the other side at some point, I imagine the technique will have its fans, that is for sure. That is his fiery side.

He also has a wise side, which I know and appreciate. He is an upstanding man, like the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent. They are cut from the same cloth. They are men of their word, great men. When it was time to put partisanship aside, the member for Honoré-Mercier would raise his hand. It was time to discuss and make progress on the issues.

I was the Bloc Québécois House leader, and I still am. My colleague was the government's political lieutenant in Quebec at the time. I do not know if he remembers this. One of the first times we met, I introduced myself and told him that I was his natural ally. I told him that I was the Bloc Québécois House leader and that my one and only goal was to protect the interests of Quebec. It was simple. His job, as I understood it, was also to stand up for Quebec's interests, since he was the government's political lieutenant in Quebec. I have to say that any time he, my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent and I discussed things and worked together, Quebec came out ahead. Many Quebeckers do not realize how many problems we solved together.

Things were intense during the COVID-19 crisis. I cannot even count the number of times a day we talked. I was talking to the member more than I was talking to my own wife. We were always on the phone and it was not always easy. I remember that the member for Honoré–Mercier told me that we were building a plane in mid-air. I thought it was pretty straightforward, but I suppose that was not always the case. Obviously, we had work to do. We had to roll up our sleeves, and that is what we did.

I always enjoyed working with my colleague. I have a great deal of respect for him. Unfortunately, sometimes, we talk about the member for Honoré–Mercier to people who do not come to Parliament Hill or who do not know him and they only see his rabble-rouser side. They find it to be a bit too much or something. They say that he is a piece of work, but I tell them that he is actually a great guy. I will never forget the work that we did together. Obviously, he loves Quebec in his own way, and I love Quebec in a different way. We need to respect the fact that we have differing opinions. We were supposed to go get a beer. He told me that at one point. Of course, he will get a Canadian and I will get a Blue, but we can still go get a beer and drink to our friendship. I hope that one day, we will do that.

I have learned a lot from my fellow House leaders. When I got here, I was appointed House leader of the Bloc Québécois, but I had no experience as an MP, so I was a little stressed out. I watched my colleague from Honoré-Mercier and later my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent, and I learned a lot from them. I did not say it to my colleague from Honoré‑Mercier because I do not want his head to get too big. At some point, he may start thinking too highly of himself.

Obviously, it is hard for me to wish him a bright future, and understandably so. I hope the video clip of what I am saying today will not be used in Liberal ads during the 2027 election, because that would not go over well at all. I just wanted to spread it on a little thick and I am letting myself do that because he is leaving, and the least we can do is say something nice. Personally, I have known three great Argentinians: Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Pablo Rodriguez.

I want my parting words to him to be, “Until our next squabble, my friend”.

Alain Therrien

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