Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you for joining us. You noted the following in your presentation: “This legislative proposal is drafted so as not to make any changes that would require a formal constitutional amendment”. You also stated that the method of selection set out in the Constitution would remain unchanged. You make a number of assertions in your presentation. However, the Government of Quebec does not appear to share your views.
Quebec's Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Pelletier, when commenting on bills that had preceded S-4, and C-43, which later became C-22, observed that taken together, the two bills substantially altered the balance between the House of Commons and the Senate, as well as the balance between federal and provincial institutions.
In his view—I share his opinion, obviously—the federal government and the House of Commons cannot act unilaterally to amend the Senate particulars set out in Bill C-20, because any change of this nature requires constitutional negotiations. In its submission, the Quebec government made specific mention of the Supreme Court's ruling on Parliament's jurisdiction over the Upper House and on major changes to the essential character of the Senate which cannot be made unilaterally.
Have you discussed Bill C-20 recently with the Quebec government? Has the Quebec government possibly altered its view that changes of this magnitude require constitutional negotiations between the federal and provincial governments?