CAQ invokes closure to push through controversial bills before end of session

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CAQ invokes closure to push through controversial  bills before end of session
Quebec Premier Francois Legault responds to reporters questions over his meeting with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at the legislature in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot (Photo : THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot)

By Emilie Hackett, Special to the Record – The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) completed its first full session as a new government with a marathon weekend in an effort to adopt Bill 9 (An Act to increase Quebec’s socio-economic prosperity and adequately meet labour market needs through successful immigrant integration) and Bill 21 (An Act respecting the laicity of the State) before the assembly breaks for the summer, reconvening on September 17, 2019. After invoking closure, a tool to essentially end debate and force a vote if a government feels discussion has stalled, the CAQ adopted Bill 9 in the early hours of Sunday morning by a vote of 64 to 42. By press time, the wheels were in motion to follow the same process to end the spring session with the adoption of secularism Bill 21. “If a government wants to make changes, it will have to adopt bills under closure. We want to make big changes,” Legault said over the weekend during the parliamentary review. “I think Quebec was due for big changes for at least 15 years.” See full story in the Monday, June 17 edition of The Record.

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