“I want the Prime Minister to let the Premier of Quebec speak at the Canada-European Union summit. The federal government is negotiating on energy, jobs, and minerals, which are areas Quebec controls.”

“Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec is right to demand an opportunity to speak at the Canada-European Union summit. He could even claim a seat at the negotiating table, because the federal government is negotiating with Europe on labour mobility, energy, critical minerals and more. All of these areas fall, in whole or in part, within Quebec’s jurisdiction. Excluding Quebec violates the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine. It is an insult to all Quebeckers. Will the Prime Minister grant the Premier of Quebec the opportunity to speak that is rightfully his on his own turf?”

“Quebec has the right to handle its own international relations in areas under its control. The federal government is not showing respect for Quebec. I want the Prime Minister to respect Quebec and invite its Premier to speak at the summit.”

“Mr. Speaker, there is a fourth certainty: the federal government’s lack of respect for Quebec. Whether a certain minister likes it or not, geopolitics is not a matter of federal jurisdiction. Quebec has the right to conduct its own international relations in all areas that fall wholly or partly under its jurisdiction. That is the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine. The Prime Minister’s insulting attitude and his Minister of Industry’s outlandish statements undermine decades of Quebec and Canadian foreign policy. Will the Prime Minister reconsider, respect the Quebec nation and invite the Premier of Quebec to speak at the summit?”