SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 157

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 9, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 157 - Feb/9/23
Mr. Denis Trudel (Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, BQ)
  • Feb/9/23 12:01:30 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech. I am a little surprised to hear him and some other members, including the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, say that people on the left are always ready to defend all diversities, diverse expressions and minorities. Wanting to limit Quebec's right to defend its differences is what we are talking about this morning. That is what the notwithstanding clause is all about. Quebec is a nation, which has been recognized in this place. It has a different language and a different way of life. The Bloc Québécois has to stand up for this distinctiveness day after day after day. With this morning's motion, we are once again trying to say that this right is enshrined in law and we are tired of being attacked all the time. We are not the same, and we want to keep it that way. We want to safeguard our ability to defend Quebec's distinctiveness. That is all.
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Context: House Hansard - 157 - Feb/9/23
Mr. Denis Trudel
  • Feb/9/23 1:00:30 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, so we saw the Prime Minister putting on costumes from all kinds of nations, which is fine and which we totally respect. However, when it comes to supporting the fact that Quebec is a specific minority, with specific values, history and way of life, it is always treated with suspicion in the House. Today, the notwithstanding clause that we are defending is precisely the ability to defend this specificity within the federation. What I am clearly hearing is that Quebec should not keep this right. I see that the only solution is for Quebec to become a country. When we become independent, we will be able to take complete responsibility for everything we are, including our language, our culture and all our values. That is the best I can hope for for the Quebec nation as a whole.
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Context: House Hansard - 157 - Feb/9/23
Hon. Mary Ng (Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, Lib.)
  • Feb/9/23 2:58:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we will always defend Canadian industries. We will always defend the softwood lumber industry and that sector. We just met with the American president not that long ago. We agreed that Canada and the United States have an important trading relationship. We do about four billion dollars' worth of trade a day. We are the most competitive in the world and we are fighting climate change. When the Americans do business with Canada, workers benefit because of good-paying jobs in both countries. We are fighting climate change together. We are going to keep doing that.
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