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Intergovernmental Affairs

During Question Period on intergovernmental affairs, members debated whether the Premier of Quebec should be included in an upcoming Canada–European Union summit being held in Quebec. Pierre Poilievre and Bloc Québécois member Mario Simard said the talks touch areas of provincial jurisdiction, including energy, labour mobility and critical minerals, and asked that Quebec’s premier be given a speaking role or a seat at the table. Minister Joël Lightbound responded that the summit would strengthen ties with a large European market, that all premiers were invited, and that closer EU ties benefit Quebec and Canada. He also said the Bloc does not speak for all Quebeckers and pointed to federal investments in Quebec infrastructure, the Davie shipyard, Alstom, Churchill Falls and high-speed rail.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

6 statements

Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“The Prime Minister is meeting European leaders in Quebec without inviting provincial premiers, even though their talks could affect provincial areas. I want the Prime Minister to respect Quebeckers and let their premier speak.”

  • A repeated line

    “It is never too late to do the right thing.”

    Said 3 times by 3 members since September 24.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is never too late to do the right thing. The Prime Minister decided to hold another summit with the Europeans on Quebec soil without including the provincial premiers, even though some changes might affect areas of provincial jurisdiction. Will the Prime Minister show some respect for Quebeckers and at least let their Premier speak?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal

Linked statement

“We are building closer ties with the European Union because its market is huge and good for Canada and Quebec. All the premiers are invited to this summit, and I hope Quebec's premier will attend.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, doing the right thing means strengthening our ties with the European Union, which represents 450 million consumers and 18% of the global economy. That is exactly what we are doing in the interests of Quebec and in the interests of Canada as a whole. I want to commend the Quebec delegation for the work it did in preparation for this summit. I also want to point out that the Premier of Quebec and all the other premiers are invited to this very important event. I hope that the Premier of Quebec will be there in the best interests of Quebec.

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Mario Simard

Bloc Québécois
“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.”
Official Hansard

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?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“The Bloc Québécois does not speak for all Quebeckers, and they get outraged by everything. Quebeckers want closer ties with the European Union. Those ties are good for Quebec and Canada. We are working together, and I hope Quebec joins us at the summit.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, when I get up in the morning, I am certain of three things: The sun will rise in the east, the leader of the Bloc Québécois and Bloc members will be outraged by anything and everything, and Bloc members will claim to speak on behalf of all Quebeckers. Those are certainties. Quebeckers are asking for closer ties with the European Union. Obviously, they want that to be done in partnership with Quebec, as it was in the lead-up to this summit. Closer ties with the European Union are good for Quebec and good for Canada. I sincerely hope that Quebec will be there with us.

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Mario Simard

Bloc Québécois
“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.”
Official Hansard

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?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“The Bloc Québécois gets outraged over everything. All summer, they criticized us for doing too much for Quebec, including spending billions on infrastructure, supporting thousands of shipyard and train manufacturing jobs, backing the Churchill Falls project, and moving forward with high-speed rail. They are trying to divide people, while our government is working to build Quebec.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the Bloc Québécois’s outrage over everything. All summer long, the Bloc criticized us for doing too much for Quebec: too much for infrastructure, with $10 billion in investments; too much for the Davie shipyard in Lévis, with 5,000 jobs in Quebec; too much for Alstom in La Pocatière and Saint‑Bruno‑de‑Montarville. The Bloc Québécois criticized us for supporting the Churchill Falls project, which will ensure prosperity for generations of Quebeckers. It is criticizing us for going ahead with the high-speed rail project, which will help build Quebec. The Bloc Québécois is busy stoking division and outrage. Our government is busy building Quebec.

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