The first Bloc Québécois MP to introduce private members’ legislation will propose a bill to try and achieve the party’s goal of allowing Quebeckers to file a single tax return, instead of separate returns federally and provincially.

Gabriel Ste-Marie, who is the Bloc Québécois MP representing the riding of Joliette, indicated in the House of Commons’ agenda that he plans to introduce an act changing the federal tax collection agreement with the provinces.

A staff member for Ste-Marie told iPolitics that the MP will introduce this bill with his third-place spot among non-ministers who will soon be allowed to table their own legislation in Parliament.

Ste-Marie won his third-place position in a draw held in December to determine the order in which private members are allowed to table legislation. The draw is typical at the start of each new Parliament.

His bill – listed on the Order Paper as “An Act to amend An Act to authorize the making of certain fiscal payments to provinces, and to authorize the entry into tax collection agreements with provinces” – shares the same name as a bill introduced by Louis Plamondon in the last Parliament. Because the bill hasn’t been drafted yet, Ste-Marie’s staff member couldn’t say whether or not it would be a carbon copy of Plamondon’s legislation, instead saying it’s “inspired” by it and of the “same spirit.”

Quebec is the only province in Canada where residents have to submit both a federal tax return and a provincial tax return. The National Assembly of Quebec has previously urged the federal government to end this system and move to one in which the province is responsible for collecting all income tax and transferring the federal government the portion that it’s owed.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals opposed a Quebec-operated single tax system in the federal election.

The Liberals argue that moving to a single tax collection system would threaten the jobs of thousands of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employees in Quebec. The CRA employs over 5,500 people in 14 regional offices across Quebec.

READ MORE: CRA employees union campaigning against Scheer’s pledge of a single-tax return for Quebec

Under leader Andrew Scheer, the Conservatives said they would support Quebec’s bid to operate its own income tax collection system – which the Liberals claimed was an act of pandering. The NDP previously said they would support a Quebec-run single tax system, but abandoned that position under current leader Jagmeet Singh.

The Bloc Québécois would need the support of at least two other parties, including either the Liberals or Conservatives, to have enough votes to pass the legislation through the House.

READ MORE: Tories promise single tax return for Quebec, though Liberals warn of job losses and logistical challenges

First private members’ bills taking shape

Conservative MP Len Webber won the lottery held among MPs at the beginning of the new parliamentary session. iPolitics first reported that he would use his slot to introduce a bill to make it easier for Canadians to become organ donors.

Webber’s bill would add an organ registration form the annual tax return form that Canadians file, as a piece of legislation in the previous Parliament – Bill C-316 – sought to do. The bill cleared the House but stalled in the Senate, when the Upper House prioritized passing government legislation.

READ MORE: Bill to boost organ donation expected to be first private members’ bill of new Parliament

Conservative MP Bob Saroya holds the number 2 spot between Webber and Ste-Marie in the preliminary list dictating the order that MPs can introduce a bill or motion. Bloc Québécois MP Kristina Michaud is behind Ste-Marie, placed fourth on the list. She has not listed a piece of legislation on the House agenda.

The Huffington Post reported first on Wednesday that Conservative MP Scot Davidson would use his number 5 spot to introduce a bill that would bring an end to Canada’s practice of exporting plastic waste to landfills in other countries.

By Feb. 27 the House will publish an official Order of Precedence, which formalizes the sequence in which MPs bills and motions are called for in debate. After that date, the subcommittee responsible for determining which pieces of private members’ business can be brought in front of the House (which it does by determining that bills and motions conform to the rules of private members’ business) will meet for the first time. Only after the committee meets can MPs begin introducing their bills and motions during the hour dedicated to private members’ business each day.

MPs are allowed to negotiate switches in the order they’re in with other MPs.

READ MORE: Tory MP to use early turn introducing legislation to expand compassionate care leave

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