I'm a bit dumbfounded by what I've just heard, Mr. Chair.
First, I'd like to nip this thing about calls made regarding the Bloc Québécois motion in the bud. At the beginning of the summer, it was agreed that potential discussions would take place between the House leaders. We in the Conservative Party have respected that. We never received any calls from the Bloc Québécois House leader or the government House leader to hold this Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development meeting. We worked to obtain meetings of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources on two occasions, and the Bloc Québécois rejected our requests. I can't understand how and why they rejected them, because those meetings would have been very important for the workers, for the Boreal caribou and, above all, for respecting provincial jurisdictions.
Furthermore, I'm flabbergasted to hear my colleague say that the caribou cannot hire lobbyists. I don't understand how the Bloc Québécois is going to continue to support the Liberal position, because the caribou lobbyist right now is the Government of Quebec. The Quebec government itself has called the federal decree “unconscionable interference”.
I will read what the Government of Quebec said through ministers Blanchette Vézina and Charette when it learned that the federal Liberal government intended to impose this radical order: “Quebec shares your desire to ensure the survival of Boreal caribou…”. We agree with Quebec. That is its responsibility. I'll continue: “…your government's approach in issuing an emergency order under the Species at Risk Act is an unspeakable affront…The management of public lands, and of the species found therein, falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Quebec government…”.
I hear my Liberal colleagues practically calling the Government of Quebec a lobbyist, when that is its area of jurisdiction and responsibility. We trust the Government of Quebec to respect and protect both forestry jobs and the caribou. My Liberal colleague's comments are somewhat insulting. I don't understand how the Bloc Québécois is going to support the position—