Michel Bellehumeur

[Young Offenders, December 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Coalition pour la justice des mineurs, which is a coalition of Quebec agencies working with young offenders, recently submitted its brief to members of this House. Here is an excerpt from that document:

The constant decrease in youth crime and the positive results achieved by the provinces that implement all the components of the Young Offenders Act should convince Canadians, provided they are adequately informed, that the implementation of Bill C-3 would be a costly and useless measure.

Where are the supposed protectors of Quebec's interests in the Liberal caucus? Unfortunately, Liberal members from Quebec continue to turn a deaf ear to the message sent by those who have been defending Quebec's expertise for decades.

The Bloc Quebecois is the only party sensible enough to oppose this unjustified panic among the Liberals, who would rather upstage the Reformers when it comes to juvenile crime.

Youth justice is faced with a strange problem. The federal government stubbornly refuses to put its trust in the youth justice system, when it should be doing everything it can to support that system.

[An Act To Give Effect To The Requirement For Clarity As Set Out In The Opinion Of The Supreme Court Of Canada In The Quebec Secession Reference, December 14th, 1999]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I do not see a quorum.

And the count having been taken:

[An Act To Give Effect To The Requirement For Clarity As Set Out In The Opinion Of The Supreme Court Of Canada In The Quebec Secession Reference, December 14th, 1999]

Madam Speaker, am I to understand that from now on the word “malhonnête” will be acceptable in this House? If the word “malhonnête”, be it in French or in English, is acceptable, say so now, because we will use it on a regular basis both for the Reform Party and the Liberals.

[An Act To Give Effect To The Requirement For Clarity As Set Out In The Opinion Of The Supreme Court Of Canada In The Quebec Secession Reference, December 14th, 1999]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If I understood the interpreters correctly, it would seem that the member said that the members of the Bloc Quebecois have been dishonest with their voters. If that is what she said, I would like her to withdraw that.

[An Act To Give Effect To The Requirement For Clarity As Set Out In The Opinion Of The Supreme Court Of Canada In The Quebec Secession Reference, December 14th, 1999]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The member's speech is very interesting and it would be greatly appreciated if the Liberals could hear it. Thus, I would like you to check the quorum, because obviously there is no quorum in the House.

And the count having been taken:

[Bill C-20, December 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, we have noticed that the bill introduced by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs does not mention any threshold for determining a majority below which the federal government will unilaterally refuse to negotiate with Quebec, for the good reason that such a threshold could be challenged in the courts. No threshold is up to such a challenge before a referendum is held.

How can the minister think that setting a threshold after a referendum in Quebec would be any less likely to be challenged in the courts?

[Points Of Order, December 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, you are not letting me finish.

[Points Of Order, December 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Before the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs sees fit to address in this House the bill denying the basic rights of Quebecers, I would like to table a speech made by the Prime Minister of Canada on November 28, 1999, where he said—

[Points Of Order, December 13th, 1999]

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

[Points Of Order, December 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, before introducing its draft bill undermining the basic human rights of Quebecers, the government across the way obviously did not take the time to go over the new modern and exciting Quebec-Canada partnership proposal put forward by the Bloc Quebecois and distributed throughout the province of Quebec.

I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table the document so that the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs can read it.