Quebec national assembly begins two-week intensive session

With two weeks left in the spring session at the national assembly and key pieces of legislation at risk of not getting passed before MNAs break for the summer, a period of intensive debate began on Monday.

The government and opposition cannot agree on how much time is needed for debate.

READ MORE: Quebec’s immigration reform bill unlikely to be passed this spring, says premier

Last week, Premier François Legault said he didn’t want to force a vote in order to adopt two bills his government promised to pass this June: Bill 9 on immigration and Bill 21 on religious symbols.

But on Monday the premier said nothing’s off the table. He is not against invoking closure to adopt both those bills. He also said it’s possible that the national assembly could continue sitting throughout the summer.

“If the government want us to be debating this summer, it’s (their) call, but it’s not ours,” said Parti Quebecois interim leader Pascal Bérubé.

“It’s urgent that those bills be adopted and I hope to get the collaboration — and if there are some constructive proposals from the opposition, we’ll make those changes,” Legault said.

READ MORE: Quebec anglophone organization says province is ‘intruding on community rights’

The government says the opposition is deliberately trying to stall debate to prevent the two bills from being immediately adopted. The opposition says it’s the government playing games and trying to restrict debate in order to limit criticism.

“These two bills are very important and it’s our responsibility as parliamentarians to ask questions and to try to make a better law,” said Manon Massé, Quebec Solidaire co-spokesperson.

READ MORE: Quebec Liberals accuse CAQ of dismissing concerns over secularism bill

MNAs began the two-week intensive period with Bill 21 in a debate that took all afternoon. However, the government insists there is enough time to hear from all parties and pass its secularism bill by June 14.