I have a few more points to make.
The amendment, at least the way it's drafted, would also remove the minister's authority to designate a body. We would actually have to move an amendment to this to allow the minister the ability to revoke a designation.
I do have an alternative approach to this. I understand where Mr. St-Cyr is coming from. He may not be satisfied with the alternative approach, but I think it is one that is reasonable and that certainly gets to the intent of his amendment. It also has stronger support from the Government of Quebec. They have informed us that they do not see the need for such an amendment, that it's actually not necessary.
The minister mentioned at his appearance here a couple of weeks ago that the intention of Bill C-35 was to designate one body. Nothing in the bill limits designation to only one governing body, so it does allow for that provision.
I can't stress strongly enough that it's the federal government—and Ms. Ménard laid out a Supreme Court decision on this—that maintains responsibility for its legislation. If we were to pass this amendment we would be relinquishing that responsibility.
We have worked extremely well together on bills like Bill C-11 and we want to try to find a way to compromise and meet the objectives of the bill while still having a bill that meets federal requirements. This amendment simply shoots a hole in that strategy, and in fact it is the one amendment that would obviously have to go back to cabinet for approval. This is one area around where there is a huge question mark as to whether it would survive that.
So, Mr. St-Cyr, if it is the intention of the Bloc to pass this amendment and if it is the will of the committee, we're going to need the support of somebody on the other side of the table, as we only have five votes on this side. I can tell you that it is not going to meet with the approval of the government.
I'm asking the committee to consider an alternative amendment that would get at what Mr. St-Cyr is presenting but do so in a way that actually allows us, as the federal government and legislators, to maintain our federal responsibility for legislation.
Thank you.