SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 135

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 25, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 135 - Nov/25/22
Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Joliette, BQ)
Mr. Speaker, I have a comment for the parliamentary secretary. I would like him to ask himself some questions. Why does the Bloc Québécois feel it has to filibuster the Standing Committee on Official Languages to slow the passage of the official languages bill? Because the Liberal Party, this government, with the support of the third opposition party, opposes amendments put forward by Quebec to protect French and stop its decline in Quebec. Ever since Confederation, the number of French speakers outside Quebec has declined so precipitously that they are practically the stuff of legend. Nothing in Bill C‑13 would change that reality. The use of French will continue to decline in Quebec. Fewer than 50% of the people on the Island of Montreal—one in two—speak French. The main reason for that is the Official Languages Act and its policies that support English in Quebec at the expense of French.
161 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 135 - Nov/25/22
Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Joliette, BQ)
  • Nov/25/22 11:40:51 a.m.
  • Watch
Laser beams are not what they used to be, Mr. Speaker. The federal government is bringing the deadline to submit infrastructure projects forward by two years. If Quebec fails to meet the deadline, the federal government will keep $2.7 billion that is owed to our cities. It is bullying our municipalities and threatening to keep every cent that is not spent by March 31. Meanwhile, yesterday, the federal government announced a new $1.6‑billion infrastructure project to fight climate change. Is that program being funded with the same money it plans to steal from municipalities at the end of March?
105 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 135 - Nov/25/22
Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Joliette, BQ)
  • Nov/25/22 11:41:30 a.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are concerned because this is not the first time this government has stolen money that belongs to our municipalities. That is exactly what it did last June with $342 million in another infrastructure program, so, yes, we are concerned when this government threatens to keep every penny that has not been spent by March 31 of next year. When it comes to stealing money from our cities, this government has always kept its word. Why not collaborate instead and announce that any money remaining in the fund will simply be transferred to Quebec?
98 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border