Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, unlike others, I believe that words have meaning and that words are not innocent. I believe that the Government of Quebec is fully within its rights to include in the Constitution Act, 1982, under the provisions introduced in the Constitution of 1867, the fact that it is a nation, whose official language is French, which is the common language of all Quebeckers.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I think my colleague is quite right to point out that it is a strange coincidence to choose this very day when the Bloc Québécois is proposing this motion to finally come up with a bill that has been announced for ages, and to introduce it so late in the day that it will not even be possible to discuss it before the adjournment, and possibly not before an election.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, let me start by saying that it will be my great pleasure to share my time with my hon. colleague from Drummond. I want to express just how honoured and moved I feel to be taking part in today's debate. This Bloc Québécois motion is about the core of who we are. In my past life, I had the opportunity and the immense privilege to be a member of the House of Commons and the National Assembly of Quebec.

Saint‑Basile-le-Grand  Mr. Speaker, the city of Saint‑Basile‑le‑Grand is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Saint‑Basile‑le‑Grand is one of four communities that make up the riding of Montarville, which it is my honour and pleasure to represent in the House. Back in the 19th century, local inhabitants, led by a man named Basile Daigneault, requested their own parish, and their request was granted in 1870.

Fight Against Tax Evasion  Madam Speaker, I request a recorded division.

Fight Against Tax Evasion  Madam Speaker, I think my colleague from Abitibi—Témiscamingue firmly established what the problem is from the outset. Today, we are talking about housing and the fact that the resources available to respond to needs in that area are insufficient. That is true for health, social services and all other state obligations.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, this is a test of the Liberals' principles today. I remember that they made of point of demanding that Stephen Harper's government comply with parliamentary privilege in the Afghan detainee matter. We will see if the principles the Liberals claimed to espouse at the time still stand when they are in power.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, as the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Rather than trying to protect itself and covering up the truth, the government should be using these events as an opportunity to strengthen the safeguards that must be in place any time countries collaborate on such sensitive issues as microbiology and virology research.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his complimentary comments. His question is very interesting. It is true that, at first, the Liberals on the committee appeared to be protecting the Public Health Agency of Canada. I denounced their behaviour, asking what the government members were trying to hide from members of Parliament.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, we clearly showed that members of the Special Committee on Canada-China Relations wanted to act responsibly. When we realized that there were legitimate national security, privacy and criminal investigation concerns, we gave the Public Health Agency of Canada the opportunity to provide the information confidentially.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I usually do not respond to questions that are purely hypothetical. Sadly, this one is just that, in every respect. I have no idea what the government is trying to hide, but it seems to have been rather nonchalant about national security, and when we try to get to the bottom of what might have happened, it refuses to give us information by invoking utterly specious arguments that just do not hold water legally.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, today's debate is a very important one. Some might argue that this is simply a partisan attempt to embarrass the government. However, aside from the very important national security issues, what is at issue today is the pre-eminence of Parliament, the fact that it takes precedence over any laws a government might invoke to avoid being held accountable to parliamentarians.

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, I would like to come back to the matter of the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement. Is the minister willing to consider products made in the occupied territories as not being Israeli products?

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, what does the government plan to do about the situation in Tigray where there have been imprisonments, abuses and executions of civilians since November 2020, considering that Washington has recently taken measures against certain Eritrean and Ethiopian actors accused of fuelling the conflict?

Business of Supply  Madam Chair, an Ontario court ruled that the destruction of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 by Iran was an act of international terrorism. Does the government agree, and will it hold Iran accountable for this terrorist act?