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Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Joliette, BQ)

Feb/2/24 10:10:43 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, this is a very important bill. The 2017 agreement, which was essentially negotiated by Stephen Harper's Conservative government, was mostly about extending a hand of friendship to Ukraine in the wake of the 2014 Russian invasion. As members know, the negotiations ended in the summer of 2015, just before the election, but the agreement was signed by the current government during the Ukrainian Prime Minister's visit to Ottawa in 2016, and it took effect in 2017. It was negotiated by Stephen Harper's Conservatives, but now it seems as though the Conservatives are no longer on board. Why is that and what impact will that have?

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Context: House Hansard - 274 - Feb/2/24

Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Joliette, BQ)

Feb/2/24 10:56:23 a.m.
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Re: Bill C-57

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech, but I am less proud of the fact that yesterday, in committee, he voted against the bilingualism of the new group. I have a question for him about the only amendment to Bill C‑57 that was adopted in committee. It included a clause presented by my colleague and friend, the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot. This clause requires the minister to constantly monitor the behaviour of Canadian businesses in Ukraine and to table an annual report of his activities to Parliament. We know that article 15.14 of the agreement is about implementing best practices, particularly in fighting corruption. What does my hon. colleague think of that?

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Context: House Hansard - 274 - Feb/2/24

Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Joliette, BQ)

Feb/2/24 12:31:07 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, strengthening the Competition Act is important, and some of the proposals in Bill C‑352 aim to do just that. For example, the enactment amends the Competition Act by increasing the penalties for certain anti-competitive acts. It also amends certain aspects of the merger review process, such as how gains in efficiency and market concentration are taken into account. Furthermore, it requires the Competition Tribunal to make an order to dissolve or prohibit mergers that result in an excessive combined market share. It extends the limitation period for merger reviews from one year to three years. Finally, it amends the Competition Tribunal Act to remove the Tribunal's power to award costs against the Crown. All of these things are positive, and that is why the Bloc Québécois will support Bill C‑352. However, I would like to remind members of one very specific situation. Last fall, Bill C‑56 was debated, amended and then passed. Half of that bill dealt with amendments to the Competition Act. Members will recall that to get the NDP to support a gag order, M‑30, the government amended Bill C‑56 to include several items from Bill C‑352. A number of items from Bill C‑352 therefore ended up in Bill C‑56. What is more, there was a big chunk of Bill C‑352 that was missing from Bill C‑56, so I brought it to committee and it passed. The committee chair ruled the amendment inadmissible, but his decision was overturned by all of the committee members, across all parties. That reversal was not challenged in the House. There are many good things in Bill C‑352, but the bulk of it was already passed last fall. I therefore question the relevance of debating this bill again, given that its substance has already been passed by the House. Much like in Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, all that is left is the marlin's carcass. Poor Santiago. We are going to vote in favour of that carcass and conclude in committee that the substance of the bill has already been passed.

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