Luc Thériault

“Madam Speaker, setting aside any knee-jerk reaction I might have as a Quebec sovereignist to Ottawa’s centralizing tendencies, there remains the broader issue of administering care and, above all, administering health care. I fully recognize that the sharing of information is critically important in health care. We need to be able to prevent epidemics, understand population movements and anticipate the long-term effects. I fully understand the importance of having an accurate picture of the public health situation. Take HIV/AIDS, for instance. In a study currently being conducted by our committee, officials from the Public Health Agency of Canada told us yesterday that they were having difficulty compiling data on the current situation in Canada. That is why I encourage the provinces to work together and, with Ottawa’s support, establish an effective framework for information sharing and exchange. Quebec, whether as a province or as a country, has every interest in having access to reliable public health data at the North American level. That said, we should not ask Ottawa to dictate to the provinces how health care should be managed. Let us leave that to the provinces, public health agencies and health departments to determine together whether a common road map is the best way to collaborate. The ideal would be for them to pool resources and expertise, because responsibilities are shared and solutions are developed collaboratively. That is the beauty of sharing. Bill S‑5 could simply be based on a truly asymmetrical relationship and an uneven partnership, one that is more natural and in keeping with our federation. In this case, it is the means I am questioning, not the end. Federal legislation that forces us to take on a subordinate role tells Quebeckers that the federal government wants to be the master in their house, whereas we want to be masters in our own house. On this budget day, I would like to remind the House that “Maîtres chez nous” is more than a slogan. It represents the hopeful spirit of the Quiet Revolution, our collective drive as Quebeckers to assert ownership of the tools to build a modern, forward-thinking state that is committed to social progress. The Trudeau government essentially stole our ideas. One might say that it drew inspiration from ideas such as child care and pharmacare. What we are seeing from the current government is something altogether different. It is appropriating symbols of national aspiration and collective emancipation. That is profoundly insulting. When Quebec chose to take its destiny into its own hands, it did not wait for the federal government. It just did it. We have been proving that for decades. We built our own institutions, established our own frameworks and charted our own course. Now that the work is done, the federal government wants to tell us what to do. It should do the opposite and ask the provinces how this worthy objective can best be achieved. Instead, the same old reflexes persist. Unless the government is prepared, and this is important, to amend its bill to include a preamble stating that Quebec remains the primary architect of its health policies, we cannot support such a bill. It is worth noting that Quebec already has its own digital health information system, known as the Health Booklet. This system allows all Quebec patients to access their list of medications, medical imaging and lab test results, and the services they have received since May 2026. Quebec has begun rolling out digital health records in the Mauricie region, the Centre-du-Québec region, and the northern part of the Island of Montreal. This project will enable the Quebec health care system to gradually phase out outdated technologies such as—I am embarrassed to say—the fax machine, and contribute to the digital transition of Quebec hospitals. Going forward, patients will be able to access their medical information, appointment history and medical records through Mon dossier santé. If the federal government really wants to support health care, I have an idea: Release the money. Unfortunately, the federal government cannot manage our emergency rooms, our CLSCs, our labour relations, the delivery of care or the priorities of our health care system, so we have a request. Every single year, we ask for more money in the form of health transfers. We firmly believe that 6% a year, for a total of $14 billion over five years, is not too much to ask, given all the tax dollars collected by Ottawa. Yes, it is no secret that Quebec’s health care system faces challenges, but it is up to the Quebec government to make its own decisions in the best interests of Quebeckers, in consultation with stakeholders on the ground who understand the real needs. My riding of Laurentides—Labelle has three hospitals, the Mont-Laurier hospital, the Rivière-Rouge hospital and the Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts hospital. They have enormous funding needs. In all three cases, private foundations are stepping in to make up for the funding shortfalls. Why? It is because, unfortunately, the federal government is not doing its part. When it comes to equipment, it is quite remarkable that the community had to mobilize all its efforts just to secure access to an MRI machine, and even a CT scanner, only a few years ago. Rather than allocating funds for patient care, the federal government is just managing programs and telling others what to do. The federal government does not run a single clinic. Everyone has their own area of expertise. When I talk to people, I ask them whether they would prefer option A or option B. Option A involves adding another layer of administration to Quebec’s health care system. Option B involves Ottawa sending Quebec money so that we can provide care. Option B wins every time, both among health care professionals and among the public. People know that they pay more in taxes than what is transferred back to Quebec, so it is simple. Unless amendments are made, the Bloc Québécois will be voting against Bill S-5. I will conclude as I began it. The government needs to let Quebec and the provinces manage their own health care systems and make their own decisions. Yes, let us work in partnership, but not by making Quebec and the provinces subordinate. Let us not go further down the road of an imposed federalism. We have had enough encroachments on provincial jurisdiction. As I always tell my colleagues, whenever provincial jurisdictions are at stake, I will be relentless, and my answer will always be no.”