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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 211

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 12, 2023 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 211 - Jun/12/23
Mr. Alain Therrien
  • Jun/12/23 8:28:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague is absolutely correct and it happened many times. I could have mentioned a similar situation from 2000. The government of the day proposed changes to the Standing Orders affecting Parliament. Several times, when no consensus was reached, the government preferred to withdraw its request because it considered a consensus necessary. To do otherwise would only open a Pandora's box for everyone to take advantage of. We were running the risk of getting to a point where the parliamentary system could no longer function at all, as they wanted it to at the time, and where a majority government would have all the power. It is ludicrous. Anyone who looks at the history of Parliament can see that this is not a unique occurrence. Many times, when the government failed to achieve a consensus, it would throw in the towel and cancel the proposed changes out of respect for consensus. What changed? I do not know.
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Context: House Hansard - 211 - Jun/12/23
Ms. Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Terrebonne, BQ)
  • Jun/12/23 9:12:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague talks a great deal about partisanship. However, this is the first time that a party has tried to change a fundamental aspect of House operations without the unanimous consent of the House. Other changes were started and then stopped due to a lack of unanimous consent in the House. Why do the Liberals want to impose such a major change this time, without even coming to discuss it with our House leader?
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