Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about math. Quebec takes in 45% of all asylum seekers in Canada but receives just under 28% of new investments in temporary housing. Quebec continues to contribute far more than its share of the effort and continues to receive far less than the financial share it deserves.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, Quebec does not play politics on the backs of immigrants. These people need services, and Quebec is scrambling to provide them at Quebeckers' expense. People come first and money matters come later. It is only here, in Ottawa, where the policies are not up to snuff.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, obviously, the heart of the matter is the quality of services offered to asylum seekers. Money is essential, but there is much more to it than that. Last year alone, Quebeckers welcomed more than 65,000 asylum seekers. That is almost half the total for all of Canada.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, since 2021, the federal government has been withholding the money it owes Quebec for taking in asylum seekers. It has been so long that the bill has reached $470 million. Yesterday, at last, the government announced in the newspapers that there would be some good news today.

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Madam Speaker, every Conservative MP is claiming that their party will be forming the next government. Sooner or later, they are going to have to take a position and offer up some clear proposals. Considering all the shouting back and forth lately, the Bloc Québécois is pretty much only the adult in the room.

Questions on the Order Paper  With regard to the Canada–Philippines Enhanced Defence Agreement: (a) what progress has been made on the agreement, and has it been signed by both countries; (b) what assessment of the state of human rights in the Philippines was carried out before the agreement was negotiated; (c) does the agreement include conditions for human rights monitoring and, if so, what are these conditions, and are they sine qua non to maintain the agreement between the two countries; (d) what mechanisms allow for the human rights situation to be monitored; (e) will the mechanisms in (d) include the consideration of the agreement by a parliamentary committee with participation from civil society organizations; (f) when will the terms or the wording of the agreement be made public; and (g) how can citizens access information on the programs and funding associated with the agreement?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, it is a new year, but the same problems remain at the federal level. Quebec is overwhelmed from welcoming asylum seekers. We welcomed more than 65,000 people in 2023. That is 45% of the total for Canada as a whole, when we represent 22% of the population. That is a lot more than our fair share.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, I would invite all of the political parties to be mindful when they talk about immigration. The immigration minister already has one strike against him. At this point, one would think that the Liberals would have learned that when they fail to address problems, they never get resolved.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, that is better already. Quebec is also demanding that the federal government reinstate visas for Mexicans. Since the Liberals suspended visas, the number of refugee claims by Mexicans has risen from 110 in 2015 to 24,000 last year. Most of these applications are denied, meaning that the majority of these people are not refugees.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, the federal government owes Quebeckers $460 million for welcoming asylum seekers. They are the federal government's responsibility. The federal government does not want to pay, and it even has the arrogance to keep bluntly stating that it is not an ATM. However, it is our money inside that ATM, not the federal government's.

Public Sector Integrity Act  Madam Speaker, I think the reason some people are raising points of order is because the hon. member for Mirabel has been black-listed by the hon. member for Carleton. His Conservative Party cronies want to play games. Let us allow my colleague to finish. It is a great bill.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, asylum seekers are a federal responsibility. Instead of repeating that Ottawa is not an ATM, it is time for the federal government to stop treating Quebeckers like a credit card. The entire cost of services for asylum seekers is being foisted on us. Now the bill is due, and the Prime Minister has to pay it.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, there are two solitudes in our approach to asylum seekers. On one side, Quebec is taking in half of Canada's asylum seekers. We do not hesitate to do so. We first deliver services at our own expense and then we ask the federal government to reimburse the $460‑million bill.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, things are happening with the $460 million the federal government has to give back to Quebeckers for asylum seekers. Yesterday, the minister confirmed that the ball is in the Minister of Finance's court. That is why we are asking her about this today, but there is information she may be unaware of.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, we are addressing the Minister of Finance, because right now, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is the problem. He is the one who is preventing this file from being resolved. We want a conversation between serious-minded people. Quebec takes in 48% of all asylum seekers across Canada as a whole and pays 100% of the bill.