FINA Committee Report

Bloc Québécois Supplementary Report

2022 Pre-Budget Consultations

This year, the Committee was unable to hold its pre-budget consultations as expected. Hopefully, this will not be the case in the future. Nevertheless, in addition to the few meetings, the Committee considered all of the briefs that were submitted. They were read and studied by the Committee members and several interesting proposals emerged.

The Committee members worked together to produce a thorough report with many interesting recommendations, including ways of better fighting the illegal and immoral use of tax havens.

The recommendations are related to the current uncertain context. Even though inflation seems to be starting to stabilize, prices of essential goods keep rising, but incomes are not necessarily following the same pattern. This is all happening in the context of high debt levels with the risk of a recession. The situation is still fragile for many, not only our seniors, but also a growing number of workers and the most vulnerable members of our society.

In addition to the challenges of the cost of living and household debt, many other crises are unfolding simultaneously: the lack of resources in healthcare systems, the federal government’s failure to deliver services in a timely manner, the language and identity crisis, and the various global crises. We are obviously thinking here of events pitting authoritarian regimes against representatives of Western democracies, but also of GAFAM and other multinational entities that are eroding countries’ tax bases and competing unfairly with our local players. Whether this is due to questionable tax schemes, a federal framework that does not keep pace with technology, or a shirking of duties, we must demand greater justice for all. This is all happening in a context of environmental upheaval in which each and every business must do more to reduce its carbon footprint and adapt to this sad new reality.

As a result, we should not expect the next few years to be a smooth ride. The situation may improve: we can be optimistic, but we must also be proactive. This budget needs to be prudent, invest in the right places, focus on the core missions of the federal government, and provide solutions to the multiple interrelated crises that have plagued us for nearly three years.

If we want to resolve the various crises, we must not pursue centralizing powers, and programs, in Ottawa. The federal government needs to shed the yoke of its communications plan and its need to check the boxes on its agreement with the NDP, and instead focus on results and effectiveness. For example, instead of aligning its dental benefit program with what was being done in Quebec and some other provinces, it chose to create a new invention with many flaws. Doing serious work takes time and consultation, but an arrogant know-it-all can salve their conscience by using their spending authority to control the agenda. The way the government is lecturing the premiers of Quebec and the provinces is a good example of that, since Ottawa has plenty to do in its own areas of jurisdiction. And that’s what it should be working on in this budget: its own files and its share of transfers outside of its areas of jurisdiction.

The Quebec nation is a minority in Canada. It was only because Quebec was given a certain amount of autonomy that the political elite of the time agreed to join in 1867. While John A. McDonald wanted a legislative union in which the provinces would be subject to the federal government’s authority, Quebec’s political class was unanimously opposed to that. The compromise was the federal model with two levels of government that are equal and equally sovereign, but not in the same areas. It is important to remember that never in their history have Quebeckers voted to join Canada, not in 1867, not when the constitution was repatriated in 1982, and not in any other constitutional negotiations.

Multiculturalism theorist Will Kymlicka, who readily acknowledges that this model does not suit a minority nation like Quebec, puts it this way: “If Quebec had not been guaranteed the substantial powers it was given, and thus protection from having the decisions of the English-Canadian majority imposed upon it, it definitely would never have joined the Canadian confederation or it would have seceded soon after.” In other words, the National Assembly of Quebec’s sovereignty over its areas of jurisdiction is non-negotiable. This division of powers seems to be considered less and less in Ottawa and even in this committee, where a number of recommendations are unacceptable intrusions, despite the preamble, which includes a reminder that jurisdictions must be respected.

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We put forth several recommendations from Quebec social, cultural and economic stakeholders, and recommendations that were good for Quebec, which are included in the report this year. However, some important measures are not included. We will soon release the Bloc Québécois’ budget expectations, which will include our party’s main issues, along with important proposals for various organizations and groups in Quebec. Until independence is achieved, the Bloc Québécois will defend Quebeckers’ ideas in the House of Commons.