Debates of Feb. 22nd, 2000

Point Of Order

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Yves Rocheleau, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following the introduction by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of a bill denying the fundamental rights of Quebecers, I ask for unanimous consent to table a document for the information of the House.

The document is an article published in Le Soleil on November 29, entitled “Chrétien Haggling”.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Maurice Godin, Bloc, Châteauguay, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following the introduction by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of legislation denying the basic rights of Quebecers, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document that will enlighten the House.

This is an article published on January 5, 2000, in Le Droit on the obstruction to the rules of democracy that Bill C-20 represents.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Ghislain Lebel, Bloc, Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following the announcement by the Prime Minister, who introduced a bill denying the most basic rights of Quebecers, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document that will enlighten the House.

This is a study on social union done by André Binette for the Secrétariat québécois aux Affaires gouvernementales. In this study, Mr. Binette concludes “With the signature of the social union agreement, a historical step was taken. Ottawa will no longer even pretend to respect Quebec's autonomy or its traditional interpretation of the Constitution”.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

Is there unanimous consent of the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following the introduction of the bill denying Quebecers their right to decide their future, I am asking for the unanimous consent of the House to table a document on a new Quebec-Canada partnership, a modern and exciting project.

This document will enlighten the House on a modern proposal that is truly better than the obsolete project of the government opposite.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Jean-Paul Marchand, Bloc, Québec East, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have here an article published in Le Devoir on January 27, entitled “Ontario after a Yes Vote”.

The article states:

After a three year legal saga, Toronto's Globe and Mail has obtained documents from Ontario's Department of Finance, in which an assessment is made of the impact for Ontario of a yes victory in the 1995 referendum.

What was presented as a series of studies is merely notes jotted down for use by the Department of Finance. These documents list the Quebec-Ontario agreements—very few of them, in fact—that would be in jeopardy as a result of Quebec sovereignty.

By using estimates already made by various experts, there was an attempt at determining potential losses of employment caused by the breakup. However, these documents do not have much value as estimates and are rather more speculative. For example, there is half a line on the involvement of the Canadian army, without any explanation.

It is estimated that sovereignty could result in the value of the Canadian dollar going down to between 65 cents and 70 cents U.S., something which is presented as a catastrophe.

Since these notes were written, the Canadian dollar has—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

As members know, it is impossible for the Chair to divine the intention of the hon. member, but I must ask if it is the hon. member's intention to request unanimous consent to table the document.

[Jean-Paul Marchand, Bloc, Québec East, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I only had a few lines left to read, relating to the 1995 referendum campaign and other data in this very interesting article, which could enlighten members of this House.

I would indeed ask for—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

Does the hon. member for Quebec East have unanimous consent of the House to table the document?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Gérard Asselin, Bloc, Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have not one, but two documents to table this morning.

Following the introduction by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of Bill C-20, which denies the Quebec people their fundamental rights, I ask for the unanimous consent of this House to table one of those two documents that will enlighten it.

It is an article from an important document, entitled “For Quebec, Time Is Running Out”.

My second document is the Quebec chief electoral officer's report on the results of the 1995 referendum, in which 93%—