Veterans  Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to speak today in the debate on Quebec's jurisdiction with regard to international representation. First, I want to enlighten the House on what Canadian constitutional law says or does not say in terms of foreign policy and the right to conclude international treaties.

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, could I ask for unanimous consent to allow my colleague at least to finish his sentence so that his complete thought appears in Hansard. This seems like the right thing to do for a motion in honour of our veterans.

Child Care Centres  Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw attention to the excellent child care services provided in Quebec, particularly in the riding of Verchères—Les Patriotes. In fact, two child care centres operating in Sainte-Julie were awarded three prestigious prizes at the annual gala of the Montérégie's child care centre organization on October 30.

Child Care  Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development exhibited, not inconsistency, but definite confusion, in stating that a foundation was required in order to transfer the funding for child care to Quebec with no strings attached. How can the government sanction such a statement from the minister, when we are well aware that there have been transfers of funds in the past, for manpower for instance, without any need of a foundation?

Child Care  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Social Development, the one who wanted to answer the previous question. The one who claims to have children's interests at heart. Is the one who claims to want to avoid bureaucratic wrangling prepared to sign an agreement quickly, like the one signed for health, which would allow the funding to be transferred to Quebec for child care, with no strings attached?

Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Joliette who, in my opinion, has shed light on a situation that should be obvious. The role of the Bloc Québécois in this matter has been instrumental, crucial and fundamental. Had it not been for the presence of the sovereignist members in this House, no one would have raised that fundamental problem in Bill C-39.

Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act  The doormats in the Quebec Liberal Party have not said even one word about this problem. Yes-men that they are, they have not said even one word about Bill C-39's silence on the side agreement reached with the Quebec government. Contrary to what the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health said, namely that my worries were unjustified, it took the Bloc Québécois standing in this House before the government would apply appropriate corrective measures.

Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act  Mr. Speaker, it is a very great pleasure for me to take part in the debate on Bill C-39, to implement the agreement entered into last September between the federal government, Quebec, the nine provinces and the three territories. It is even more of a pleasure for me to speak today on a bill which, you will recall, the Bloc Québécois opposed at second reading.

Official Languages Act  I am speaking of the law in general.

Official Languages Act  Mr. Speaker, listening to my hon. colleague from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell respond to the hon. member for Saint-Lambert, I admired his remarkable parliamentary skills, which were coloured by some degree of demagoguery, however. He addressed at length one aspect of the preamble, but trying to avoid answering the question.

Constitution Amendment, 2005  Mr. Speaker, I listened very closely to the extremely eloquent speech by my learned colleague from Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, who gave a historical overview of the perverse effects of the powers of disallowance and reservation which, in passing, have not been used for many decades, which indicates to most constitutionalists that these powers have literally fallen out of use.

Child Care  Mr. Speaker, it is always the same story. The Liberals promise the moon but, after the election, they renege on their promises. Now, they are backing down not only on child care, but also on parental leave, issues which were supposed to have been settled before the election but are still unresolved.

Child Care  Mr. Speaker, he may be a Liberal but, clearly, Claude Béchard is not a member of the same family as the government opposite. Will the government reiterate its commitment to respect Quebec's specificity not only in health care, but also in the issues of child care and parental leave?

Bill C-39  Mr. Speaker, greater clarity is needed here. The government had indicated to us that it would be prepared to accept an amendment to Bill C-39, so that the specific agreement with Quebec on health, reached last September, amends the entire bill and not just the clause on parliamentary review, as is currently the case.

Bill C-39  Mr. Speaker, Bill C-39 enacts the agreements reached last September on health. We have realized, however, that in its current form, this bill does not respect the specific agreement reached with Quebec on September 15, which recognized Quebec's full jurisdiction and full control over health.