Hon. Yoine Goldstein:

Honourable senators, the Prime Minister and this government have asserted that they have made great strides in softening nationalist sentiment in Quebec and encouraging the identification of Quebecers with and within the rest of Canada.

Five elements of the Speech from the Throne belie this assertion. First, the national securities regulator legislation, although it may envisage an opting in or an opting out, is nevertheless an affront to Quebec which, as honourable senators know, fiercely opposes a national securities regulator.

That opposition is based on two aspects: First, securities regulation is probably a matter of provincial jurisdiction; and second, the creation of a national securities regulator — even if Quebec is permitted to opt out — would have the effect of severely and adversely affecting the ability of medium-sized businesses in Quebec to raise money through a public issue. It would subject Quebec companies wanting to raise money through public offerings to dual or multiple securities filings rather than the current streamlined de facto national system. More importantly, it would isolate Quebec yet again and make Quebecers feel they are on the outside of the financial market in Canada rather than a part of it.

Second, Quebecers remain concerned about cuts to cultural programs, with more to come.

Third, Quebecers remain hostile to the severe penalties proposed for juvenile offenders. One would have thought the government party would have learned a lesson about this as a result of its rather meagre showings in Quebec in the last election. This does not appear to be the case.

Fourth, as honourable senators are aware, reform of Canada's Senate, as conceived by this government, is radically opposed by Quebecers, is probably unconstitutional, and flies in the face of the unanimous resolution of the Assemblée nationale du Québec.

Last, the Conservative government has announced its intention to reintroduce the bill to increase the number of seats in Ontario, Alberta and B.C. While there is legitimate reason to justify this measure given the increased population of these provinces, the consistent refusal of this government to assure Quebec, through legislation, that its proportion of seats in the other place will remain the same, yet again, shows Quebecers that the Conservative government does not really care about them.

Will the leader please take back to the cabinet, which regrettably does not appear to have any articulate spokespeople for or from Quebec within its ranks, the fact that Quebecers are becoming increasingly alarmed by the disinterest of the federal government in regard to the concerns of Quebec and that the continuation of this kind of attitude will wreak havoc in Quebec by increasing nationalist and separatist sentiment?

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