Business of Supply   workers who are penalized right now, and the Bloc spoke out about it. We did not talk about the monarchy. Today is our opposition day, during which we raised an important issue. I really like the expression “talk and chew gum at the same time”. We can talk today, here in the House

Business of Supply   the 15-second prayer we have at the beginning of the day and this motion about the monarchy and the current framework of our parliamentary system. This is important to Bloc members, but I cannot believe for one second that it is the most important thing about which their constituents

Business of Supply   she would replace the monarchy with? Would she say that the Prime Minister should become more powerful? Would she say that we should have an election to elect a president? Is she saying that we should appoint one? What would the Bloc do?

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech and her passion. With regard to the monarchy, I will simply quote the very famous Indiana Jones who said, “That belongs in a museum”. The Bloc Québécois has talked a lot about the money that could be saved, and it is true

Business of Supply   am sure that my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite‑Patrie read about it in one of our many newspapers or heard about it from one of our many broadcasters. There is a lot of discussion on the issue of swearing an oath to the King at the National Assembly of Quebec and the monarchy's

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his presentation. Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Saint Kitts and Nevis have undertaken steps to cut ties with the monarchy, or at least distance themselves from it. I have a question for my colleague. New Zealand

Business of Supply   express its desire to sever ties between the Canadian State and the British monarchy, and call on the government to take the actions necessary to do so. I may not be a constitutionalist, but I am deeply democratic. All over the world, people are condemning the fact that democracy

Business of Supply   at the same time. For me, this is a constitutional issue, which makes it very complicated. Even if I agree that we should be asking ourselves some questions about the future of the monarchy and even if the member suggested we hold a national debate on this, I would note

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I want to start by saying that I will be splitting my time with my colleague from Shefford, who is second to none. Here we are discussing the British monarchy, or, rather, the Canadian monarchy, because that is what has our interest today. I am going to rephrase

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I was saying that we have been hearing, all day long, from Conservatives, Liberals and even NDP members that there other priorities to be dealt with today besides talking about the monarchy. That is true, they are quite right and we have never denied

Democratic Institutions  Mr. Speaker, for the Prime Minister, submission to the monarchy is not important. However, as an intelligent man, the Prime Minister can think about more than one subject in a day. As an intelligent politician and, of course, a man of the theatre, he can pretend that he does

Business of Supply  . The member should look back at our history, the history of French Canadians, and at what happened two or three centuries ago. Perhaps kowtowing and being subject to the monarchy and this completely archaic institution works for them, but I am letting them know that it does not work

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, each province in Canada is incredibly unique. As I said a few moments ago, we carry our own cultures forward. What is really interesting about our shared past, with the monarchy as part of our Constitution, is that we also have shared space where we can come

Business of Supply   wanted to was quite free to do so. That said, I listened to the monarchical plea of my colleague across the way. I strongly disagree with her, as members might have guessed. Perhaps this particular thought might elicit an interesting response from her. Monarchy is imposed. However

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, as everyone here today knows, Quebec did not ratify the Constitution. Despite that, the monarchy said that was not a problem and that the Constitution would apply against Quebec's will. I am going to make a religious reference that everyone will understand