44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 16, 2024 10:00AM
- Apr/16/24 2:39:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the English Montreal School Board has decided to challenge Bill 21 before the Supreme Court. That is fine, that is its right.
However, for the federal government to become directly involved in the case, against the will of the National Assembly, for it to provide money, our money, and lawyers, that is where we draw the line.
The Quebec lieutenant said that Canada is secular, that the government supports secularism, but he keeps telling us that we must defend freedom of religion against Bill 21.
When will the Liberals realize that the best way to protect religion is for the state to not have any?
107 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 2:39:45 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I will reiterate something my colleague knows full well: Quebec is secular and Canada is secular. That is a fact. We are working with that.
What I do no understand is that when we, as Quebeckers, want to speak to Quebec's issues, the Bloc Québécois tell us to mind our own business. The Bloc members tell us that every time. Now they are jumping for joy because a foreign leader came here to Canada and told them what to do. Someone comes from another continent and we have to listen to him.
I will repeat this to my colleague with all due respect: We are 35 members from Quebec elected by Quebeckers; we are proud Quebeckers, and we will always stand up for Quebec.
131 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 2:40:25 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, there are 32 members from Quebec who support the will of Quebec's National Assembly. By supporting the challenge to Quebec’s Act respecting the laicity of the State, Ottawa is really challenging our model for living in harmony.
Quebeckers want the separation of church and state. We have moved on. I am sure this is not easy to understand for members who fight to ensure that the House begins with a prayer every day. However, Quebeckers have chosen secularism. Religion is private and the state is public.
I would like a straight answer from the minister. Why is his government opposed to secularism?
107 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 2:41:03 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. This is about a group of Quebeckers who went to court to defend their rights under the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
If Quebec appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada, we will be there, as we have mentioned several times over the past year, to intervene and participate in these important discussions pertaining to the Canadian charter and the Quebec charter.
78 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 2:42:14 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are firmly committed to participating in these important national discussions that have a major impact on all Canadians, discussions about issues affecting our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
As we have said many times, we have serious concerns about the pre-emptive usage of the notwithstanding clause in section 33 of the charter. The first word should not be the last word in the dialogue between the legislative assemblies and the courts.
86 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 2:56:25 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservative leader was the minister responsible for housing, he built six affordable housing units across the entire country during his entire term.
Municipalities in Quebec are building 8,000 housing units with the help of the Canadian government. If we divide the 8,000 housing units by six, it amounts to about 1,200 times more. Nevertheless, the Conservative leader insults Quebec's municipalities by calling them incompetent.
Who is incompetent, the Conservative leader with six units or Quebec municipalities with 8,000 units?
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 2:57:52 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, “insulting” is indeed the key word. Quebec municipalities were insulted by being called incompetent.
They are creating 8,000 affordable housing units with the support of the Canadian government and the co-operation of the Quebec government, while the Conservative leader, the leader of insults, built just six affordable housing units across the country during his entire mandate as the minister responsible for housing. Some 66 units have been built in the past few weeks just in the riding of my colleague, the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.
92 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 3:00:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, once again, we have consulted exporters and importers, and we will continue to do so. We fully understand their concerns, and that is why I raised this issue with the president of the CBSA. I do not share my Bloc Québécois colleague's pessimism. As my colleague, the Quebec lieutenant, often says, they are experts in pessimism. I do not share that pessimism, but I understand the importance of doing things the right way.
80 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 3:48:00 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her speech. She is the chair of the committee I sit on. We have often worked together in the past four and a half years, almost five. I have sat on the same committee since I first came to the House, so I have had the opportunity to work with the chair.
I will digress briefly, if I may. I urge her to table the motion we adopted last Tuesday as soon as possible. It has been a week now, and it would be nice to see it tabled in the House as soon as possible.
Now that I have said that, here is my question.
Quebec is certainly not against pharmacare, seeing as we have our own plan and are very good at public programs. Why would it be so difficult to include a right to opt out with full financial compensation that would allow us to receive our share of the money and improve our existing programs? That would make everyone happy.
174 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 4:44:22 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the minister just tabled a centralizing budget with a view to interfering in Quebec's jurisdictions. These are new encroachments on education, municipal zoning and health, new conditions on housing, conditions for child care, and new infringements on property tax.
Does the minister realize that these intrusions that use the federal power to spend, demonstrate that the fiscal imbalance is preventing the National Assembly of Quebec from acting freely in its own areas of jurisdiction?
77 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/16/24 4:45:03 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that my colleague is raising the issue of child care because I think that this issue is a perfect example of the close co-operation between the federal government and the Government of Quebec. The idea for a child care system was initiated by Quebec, by feminists in Quebec. I want to commend them and thank them for that.
When we took the initiative to create a national child care system, we reached an agreement with Quebec at the same time to help Quebec do more. That is what we will continue to do. Yesterday, I spoke with Minister Eric Girard about some of the budget initiatives. We are working closely with his government and will continue to do so.
126 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
