Mr. Speaker, once again we hear about provincial and federal jurisdictions. Some say that the federal government is interfering in programs that are administered by Quebec.
Friday, I read in the Le Soleil the Lise Bissonnette's editorial about the costly failure of education in Quebec. According to an internal report of the Commission des écoles catholiques de Montréal on the drop-out problem in high school, the situation is a real mess. Now, this is the province's jurisdiction, Mr. Speaker. In the same editorial, I read that 46 per cent of the students registered in the French sector of the CECM drop out of school. That is what provincial jurisdiction gives us.
I also read that 3,000 young people, 50 per cent of whom are under 16, drop out of school on Montreal Island. Again, this is the province's jurisdiction. I also learned that in the disadvantaged areas of Montreal Island, eight students out of ten do not finish their secondary education. That study was done by the Commission des écoles catholiques de Montréal. I also read that generally speaking 35 per cent of Quebecers do not finish high school and that Quebec comes in one of the last among developed countries. I think it is time we stop hiding the truth and stop accusing the federal government. We have proof of what we say.
Lise Bissonnette, who writes the editorial in a famous nationalist newspaper, challenges the Government of Quebec to address the problem once and for all. We have been waiting for 20 years to see Quebec assume its true responsibilities. It has the jurisdiction, let it exercise it. Now, we are told that the federal should transfer its powers to the province, but Quebec is not doing its homework.