Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said he was ready to end the deadlock in the House of Commons and get government business back on track if the Liberals made progress on the bloc’s demands.
The House of Commons has been at an impasse since September 26, with Conservative MPs standing to speak on Conservative motions that must be addressed before moving on to other business. The Liberals accused the opposition of filibustering.
Conservative MPs are pressuring the Liberals to deliver Canada’s sustainable development technology document. It was shut down in June after the Auditor General expressed serious concerns about its management..
But the Liberals argue the House of Commons should not provide the documents to the RCMP for investigation, saying doing so could violate Charter rights to due process.
The debate entered its 13th day on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Blanchett told reporters she would support the Conservative Party’s motion to close the debate, which would effectively end the debate, if the Liberals acted quickly on the Bloc’s demands.
Blanchett told Liberals to support the bloc’s demands – a bill to increase pensions for some seniors and protect the supply-managed agriculture sector from trade concessions – or risk the bloc negotiating with other parties. reminded of the deadline of October 29th set for either to take the risk. overthrow the government. To make such a move happen, the EU would need support from both the Conservatives and the NDP.
“Rude awakening”
“I encourage the government, which is being exploited both from outside and from within, to concentrate at least a little on managing the situation, because the impression is that there is no longer a government,” Blanchet said in French. Ta.
“We are still trying to ensure that something concrete and constructive happens in the House of Commons. So I would like to give them a rude awakening and, especially, how our actions are by the deadline. I encourage you not to have any doubts about what will happen.”
Blanchet also questioned the priorities of the government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, suggesting the bloc’s demands were not a top priority.
“That doesn’t concern me. But the prime minister is in a position where he has to step off a plane from Asia and ask himself questions about resigning, prorogating parliament, going to an election, giving the bloc what we are.” [and] I’m trying to build peace within my caucus,” Blanchett said in French.
“He’s in a situation where I don’t know how he’s going to get through the overload that that brings. So in that context, I can’t help but remind the government that the clock is ticking. ”
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said his party’s decision to give the Liberals an Oct. 29 deadline to deliver on their demands or risk an early election meant that we were very generous. He said it was proof that something had happened, and there would be no problem even if it took longer. It didn’t help. ”
Brock’s senior citizens bill, Bill C-319, received unanimous support at committee stage but is awaiting third reading.
However, although the bill had all-party support in committee, it may not become law even if it passes third reading in the House of Commons.
The proposal requires royal recommendation as it would increase government spending by about $3 billion a year. That means the cabinet needs to approve it. Without that approval, this bill is unacceptable and will go nowhere after passing the House.
Mr Blanchet filed a non-binding motion on October 1 asking the government to support the bill. The motion ultimately passed with the support of five Conservative, NDP, Green and Liberal backbenchers. Most Liberal MPs voted against it.
Meanwhile, the bloc’s supply management bill has been in the Senate for more than a year.
Blanchet suggested on Tuesday that the government could reintroduce both bills as separate bills and limit debate to speed them through the House of Commons. The party also said making the bill government legislation would give it priority in the Senate.
“We have expressed this possibility. [Bloc House leader] Alan [Therrien] What I did to the Liberal House leader [Karina Gould]and so was I,” Blanchet said in French.
“I think the first step that I think is necessary is to figure out the language of the bills and what the bills in question are, even though they are basically ours, the same people, the same We haven’t received anything yet, even if it was created by a team of legislators.”
Gould could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. Deputy Premier Chrystia Freeland said the government is consulting with the bloc and the NDP, but would not say whether the Liberals would support the bloc’s proposal.
“All this is still possible if we lift the Conservative blockade in the House of Commons,” Blanchet said in French.
“But only if we get something on paper in the next few hours, because it’s dangerously difficult to get that done.” [before the deadline]. ”
