Latest news with #YvesFrançoisBlanchet
National Post
6 days ago
- Business
- National Post
The Bloc Québécois strikes again to protect supply management
OTTAWA — First there was Bill C-216, then C-282, and now C-202. The Bloc Québécois has, once again, introduced a private member's bill aimed at ensuring 'full protection for supply management' in trade agreements. Article content Article content The text of the bill has not yet been released, but the objective that was underlined in previous bills was to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act to prevent the minister from 'making a commitment' that would increase the tariff rate quota for dairy, poultry, or eggs in trade negotiations. Article content Article content It would also prevent tariff reductions on these products when they are imported in excess. Article content Article content Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Bill C-202 was 'similar' and believes the House of Commons could agree very quickly to send it back to the Senate, where two influential senators effectively blocked its passage in the last Parliament using parliamentary procedures. Article content 'We can send it to the Senate before summer break. That's clear. Could the Senate dispose of it before the summer break? My optimism is more cautious,' Blanchet said. Bill C-282 made headlines last fall when the Bloc threatened to bring down the government if it wasn't passed alongside another bill. It was ultimately passed by nearly 80 per cent of the House of Commons in June 2023, despite opposition from some Conservative MPs. Article content However, the Senate never passed it, thanks to Senators Peter Boehm and Peter Harder. Article content 'I don't think it's in Canada's national interest to pass this bill because it divides the agricultural community … and it will impact future trade negotiations,' Sen. Peter Boehm said at the time. Neither senator commented Thursday. Article content At one point, the Bloc said it was facing 'hostility' in the upper house. Article content Supporters of the bill say it would protect farmers and local communities across the country, particularly in Quebec, while opponents argue it would tie the hands of Canadian negotiators in trade talks. Article content The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) is among its opponents, saying such a bill 'will hurt the 90 per cent of farmers who depend on trade.' Article content CAFTA's executive director Michael Harvey told the National Post that 'every time (the bill was introduced) it's been a bad idea' and 'it's still a bad idea.' Article content Harvey stated that his organization does not oppose supply management and does not claim it should be affected by future trade negotiations. Article content 'What we're saying is there's no reason to legislate that negotiators take one sector of the Canadian economy off the table and leave all other sectors on the table,' he said. Article content Blanchet introduced the bill early in the session because he wants it passed before Canada negotiates a 'formal agreement' with the United States. Under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), a review of the agreement is scheduled for 2026.
National Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Derek Burney: Carney won the election battle, but the trade war is far from over
Article content The Bloc Québécois also suffered from the Trump threat, losing 11 of its 33 seats in Quebec, although the party is pushing for a byelection in one riding where the Liberals won by a single vote. The Bloc's call for separation from Canada rang a bit hollow in the face of threatened annexation. Even though Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet openly described Canada as 'an artificial country,' he clearly saw little value for Quebec being swallowed up by America. Article content With the election now behind us, the hard task of governing a nervous, divided country begins. Brian Mulroney often said that the principal challenges for any Canadian prime minister are managing relations with the U.S. and maintaining national unity — more relevant perhaps today than ever. The best answer to both would be concrete plans to stimulate economic growth and improve productivity, competitiveness and investment. Revise our tax systems to attract not dispel investment, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. Overhaul regulatory and permitting processes to encourage, not stultify, development of our extensive energy and minerals, including rare minerals resources. Promote real investment partnerships with Indigenous communities to support resource development. Article content Carney tempered his strong environmental track record by emphasizing both conventional and clean energy products as the path for Canada to become an energy 'superpower.' His close friend, Tim Hodgson, who was appointed minister of natural resources, voiced a similar 'all of the above' approach on energy. Their straddle may come back to haunt them. Article content There should be no rush to negotiate with the U.S. until we clarify what its objectives are regarding Canada. The trust factor remains an open question. The Canadian government should forcefully challenge the American assertion that they are being 'ripped off' by Canada on trade, reminding them pointedly that excluding energy exports, 40 million Canadians buy almost as much from them as 347 million Americans buy from Canada. That is the reality. We should also litigate the gross violations to the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement and the bogus national emergency excuse for U.S. tariff actions, as a dozen American states are already doing in the U.S. Court of International Trade. Article content U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum should be sought out as rational members of the U.S. cabinet to dialogue with, as opposed to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose views on Canada are off the wall. Article content Relations with the U.S. will never be the same but, if we bolster our economy pragmatically and rapidly revamp our shambolic military capability, we will strengthen our ability to stabilize what will continue to be our key relationship while enabling us as well to diversify with other partners using resources that Canada has in abundance. Article content The speech from the throne will lay out the government's plans and priorities, but a bloated cabinet, larger than any country of Canada's size warrants, and laced with many holdovers from the lost decade, is not a signal for real change. Besides, having four ministers with overlapping responsibilities for trade is a recipe for confusion, not coherence. Article content Mark Carney deserved to win the election, but bold action requires hard choices and firm leadership. Whether he will implement changes desperately needed to restore growth and competitiveness in Canada's economy will ultimately determine his fate as prime minister. Article content
CBC
15-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Worried about lack of budget, Blanchet wants details of Liberal tax cut
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet was critical Thursday of the Liberal government's decision to not table a budget in 2025. Blanchet said given the challenges facing Canadians, it's worrying that insight into the country's economic situation will be delayed.
National Post
15-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
The Bloc Québécois wants the courts to trigger a new election in Terrebonne
OTTAWA – The Bloc Québécois says it will ask the Superior Court of Quebec to order a new election in the riding of Terrebonne, Que, 'as soon as possible,' following the Liberals' victory by a single vote. Article content Article content Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet announced Thursday that his party would challenge the result 'on the basis of a vote that was not taken into account, which constitutes an irregularity' in the electoral process. The challenge is not based on the judicial recount that took place. Article content Article content 'The judge said that we lost by one vote; the vote that would have created a tie appeared in the hand of a citizen. There is therefore a difficult-to-contest irregularity that, according to the law, requires that the election be rerun,' Blanchet told reporters on Parliament hill. Article content Article content Liberal candidate Tatiana Auguste was declared the winner following a judicial recount on May 10, bringing the number of seats won by the Liberal Party of Canada to 170, two shy of a majority. The incumbent, Bloc Québécois candidate Nathalie Sinclair Desgagné, previously thought she had won the riding by dozens of votes. Article content However, a Terrebonne voter came forward a few days after the results were confirmed, claiming she had voted for the Bloc Québécois by mail, but that her ballot had never been cast. Article content This vote would have placed the Liberals and the Bloc in a tie, potentially leading to a byelection to determine the winner. Article content Emmanuelle Bossé stated in several media interviews that her special ballot was returned to her by Canada Post a few days after the April 28 election. Article content Elections Canada does not have the authority to order a rerun of the election, but admitted the error raised by Ms. Bossé. Article content Article content According to Elections Canada, the error was in the last three characters of the postal code of the office's address, although, it declared the results final. Article content 'To date, only one case has come to our attention where an envelope containing a marked ballot was returned to a voter because of an incorrect address,' said Matthew Mckenna, a spokesperson for Elections Canada. Article content In an email exchange with National Post, McKenna also said the local office issued 115 special ballots for local voting by mail, and that according to their database, five ballots were received late at the local office and that the return envelope contained an error in the postal code. Article content 'There is no information as to whether the delay was due to the incorrect postal code. We note that voters signed the declaration late in the election period,' McKenna said. Article content Meanwhile, 85 of these ballots were returned on time and counted, 16 ballots, including Bossé's, were not returned to the local office and 9 other electors gave up voting by mail and voted in person in the electoral district. Article content Sinclair Desgagné told reporters on Thursday that this whole experience has been a 'roller coaster' emotionally but that it's also an 'issue that goes beyond the outcome of a single party.'
CBC
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Bloc Leader Blanchet wants courts to order new election in Terrebonne
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Thursday his party will ask a Superior Court judge to order a new election in the Quebec riding of Terrebonne.
