Discussion · Government Orders
Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Québécois
“The government is only allowing three hours of debate on this 34-page bill. That leaves about a minute and a half to talk about each part. I want the Minister of Finance to tell us if he really thinks that is enough debate for a democracy.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am going to ask the Minister of Finance a question. I know he will not answer it because he is an expert at avoiding questions. We are debating a bill that is 34 pages long and contains 52 clauses. The minister says he likes to debate. However, by limiting the entire debate to three hours, he is leaving us with three minutes and 27 seconds of debating time per clause in the bill. If we deduct the time the Liberals will take reading the notes written by the minister or the Prime Minister’s Office in order to toe the party line, that leaves roughly one minute and 30 seconds for members of Parliament to present their comments on the bill. I hope the minister is looking at me. Does Canada’s Minister of Finance believe, yes or no, that one minute and 30 seconds per clause of a budget bill represents a healthy debate in a democracy, when his government tells us that its generational role in history is to defend democracy?”
Mr. Speaker, I am going to ask the Minister of Finance a question. I know he will not answer it because he is an expert at avoiding questions. We are debating a bill that is 34 pages long and contains 52 clauses. The minister says he likes to debate. However, by limiting the entire debate to three hours, he is leaving us with three minutes and 27 seconds of debating time per clause in the bill. If we deduct the time the Liberals will take reading the notes written by the minister or the Prime Minister’s Office in order to toe the party line, that leaves roughly one minute and 30 seconds for members of Parliament to present their comments on the bill. I hope the minister is looking at me. Does Canada’s Minister of Finance believe, yes or no, that one minute and 30 seconds per clause of a budget bill represents a healthy debate in a democracy, when his government tells us that its generational role in history is to defend democracy?