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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 79

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 1, 2022 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 79 - Jun/1/22
Mr. Mario Simard (Jonquière, BQ)
  • Jun/1/22 2:45:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, not only does the Prime Minister want to challenge Quebec's Bill 21, but the Liberals are even planning to use the case to put Quebec under federal control. On Friday, his colleague from Mount Royal said that the notwithstanding clause should be completely abolished and that this article has no place in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and should never be used. He wants to take away the only constitutional recourse Quebec has to protect our societal choices from the dictates of the federal government or federally appointed judges. Will the Prime Minister correct him and reiterate that the notwithstanding clause is important?
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Context: House Hansard - 79 - Jun/1/22
Mr. Mario Simard (Jonquière, BQ)
  • Jun/1/22 2:46:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, cases like Bill 21 are the very reason why the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes a notwithstanding clause. It is there specifically to prevent Canadian institutions from unilaterally overturning the democratic rights of Quebec and the provinces. It is there specifically to prevent the Prime Minister from blocking Bill 21 and imposing his own vision of state secularism, the vision of a guy who believes that members should pray in Parliament every day. Will the Prime Minister leave the notwithstanding clause alone or will he place Quebec under federal control?
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