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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 17

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 14, 2021 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 17 - Dec/14/21
Mr. Rhéal Fortin (Rivière-du-Nord, BQ)
  • Dec/14/21 3:31:26 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-5 
Mr. Speaker, I share my colleague's concerns about diversion. Obviously, drug use is a health issue that we must do more to address, and it is not a legal issue. We are not going to heal people by sending them to prison. That being said, I have already expressed my discomfort with the fact that the government is proposing to reduce or abolish minimum sentences for firearms offences while these firearms are circulating illegally on our streets in Montreal. Would my colleague agree that the government should address the problem of the illegal circulation and importation of firearms before proposing to reduce or abolish these minimum sentences, if not at the same time?
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Context: House Hansard - 17 - Dec/14/21
Mr. Rhéal Fortin (Rivière-du-Nord, BQ)
  • Dec/14/21 5:10:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is unbelievable. Quebec has problems in its health care system. Quebec and the provinces unanimously called for a payment of $28 billion with a 6% escalator to cover up to 35% of total spending. However, there is nothing in today's announcement about that. The Minister of Finance is telling us that the government will work on helping, but the minister is not doing that at all. The same thing goes for seniors. They are paying 7% more for their groceries. What did they get from the federal government? A single cheque. Meanwhile, Quebec and the provinces are unanimously calling for a recurring increase in old age security. The Bloc Québécois is asking for a recurring increase of $110 per month. However, in addition to offering no recurring increase, the federal government has created two categories of seniors: those age 65 to 75, and those age 75 and over. The government seems exhausted. The labour shortage needs to be addressed, but we have no measures to address it. On one small street in my riding, four restaurants and a clothing store have closed down. The Bloc brought forward the Émilie Sansfaçon bill to help sick people, such as those fighting cancer, who get only 15 weeks of EI sickness benefits, while all other claimants get 52 weeks. These are all critical issues. I do not know about my colleague, the leader of the official opposition, but as far as I am concerned, today's economic statement completely misses the mark. Needs are not being met and it is incredible how exhausted this government is, having just been elected.
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