Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the speech on Bill C-9. We hear that this bill will create a department of regional development in Quebec. This is the only time I heard the word “Quebec” in this broad definition that the minister has just given.
Obviously partnership is involved. Agencies are mentioned. However, I still feel that Bill C-9 shows one again that the federal government is interfering where it has no business. In addition, I also think that the government is trying to convince the Quebec regions, which where depopulated because of this government's employment insurance policies, that they will be repopulated.
You cannot imagine all the political decisions that have been made by this government. There is employment insurance. There is also the present crisis in the textile industry as well as the situation in agriculture and in the manufacturing industry, which is a soft sector. All these are international responsibilities, responsibilities that fall to the Government of Canada.
In my opinion, this is where the federal government should focus its actions, instead of once again creating regional duplication in Quebec.
Therefore, I ask the minister if he is ready to announce that he will work in close cooperation with the Quebec government on the project, meaning that he will hand over the federal funds to the Quebec department responsible for the regions and that the Province of Quebec will manage the funds because it is Quebec that is responsible for its regions.