Thank you for your reply.
This afternoon, I would have liked to have received a guarantee and to hear you say that you and your government are committed to amending Bill C‑31. We in the opposition do not have the power to propose amendments in committee that result in spending. The federal spending power is a privilege reserved for the Crown, and therefore for the government party. I would therefore like a guarantee that Quebec will not be forgotten with respect to the rental assistance provided for in Bill C-31.
The same is true for the dental care measures in Bill C‑31. These are for children 11 and under, whereas in Quebec our program is for children 9 and under. Collectively, we already pay for insurance. Here, the terms of application differ: sometimes the cheque will be sent to the families, sometimes it will not. However, in all cases where the cheque is sent, the need will already have been covered for children aged 9 and under. Again, there was no tie-in in Bill C‑31. So, as with rental assistance, I would like a guarantee that the government or the Liberal Party will be able to introduce an amendment to Bill C‑31 to tie the programs together. We welcome the principle, but it must correspond to Quebec's reality.
Can you make that commitment to the Standing Committee on Finance this afternoon?