Government Priorities

During question period on government priorities, Bloc Québécois members said the Prime Minister talks about working with middle powers and European allies but acts otherwise, pointing to the dropping of digital services taxes on big tech and streaming companies and to pipeline and pesticide decisions they described as favouring American interests. Liberals replied by highlighting the high-speed rail project, saying it is environmentally responsible and would create tens of thousands of jobs and billions in economic benefit, including for Quebec businesses and workers, and asked why the Bloc opposes it. On culture, Liberal members said the Bloc did not request cultural funding and voted against a budget that included $700 million for culture, including Quebec culture, and disputed the claim that Canada is not building closer ties with Europe.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

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3 statements

Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Liberal
“Canada wants to build high-speed trains. They are good for the environment and can move millions of people. Why does the Bloc Québécois no longer support them?”
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Mr. Speaker, Europe has something else that is trendy: high-speed rail. It has been adopted by just about every country in Europe, and now by the Kingdom of Morocco as well. Canada wants to develop this technology. It is an environmentally responsible solution, a transportation revolution and a piece of infrastructure capable of moving millions of Quebeckers and Canadians every year and making a difference in how we get around. Why has the Bloc Québécois changed its mind on high-speed rail?

Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Liberal
“The high-speed train project will create 51,000 jobs and add $35 billion to our economy. It will help businesses and workers across Quebec. I want to know why the Bloc Québécois opposes it.”
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Mr. Speaker, why is the Bloc Québécois attacking the Quebec factories, Quebec SMEs and Quebec workers that would be involved in building this vast infrastructure project, the high-speed train? I am talking about SMEs in Louiseville, workshops in Old Montreal, businesses in Gatineau and marketing companies in Quebec City. This is a revolutionary project that will create 51,000 jobs and add $35 billion to our GDP. It is a transportation revolution. Why is the Bloc Québécois, led by the member for Repentigny, giving up?

Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant

Liberal
“The Bloc Québécois says Quebec culture is under threat, but they did not ask for cultural funding in the budget and voted against the $700 million we provided for it. They are also wrong to say Canada is not building closer ties with Europe.”
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Mr. Speaker, that party is talking about threats to Quebec culture, but when it came time to make budget requests, it did not say a word about Quebec culture. When it came time to vote on the last budget, which contained $700 million for culture, including Quebec culture, not a single Bloc Québécois member voted for it. It is astounding to hear them talk and falsely accuse others about threats to culture. Now the Bloc members are talking about closer ties with Europe. No one, apart from the Bloc Québécois, believes that Canada is not rapidly becoming closer to Europe.

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