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Quebecers form a nation within Canada: PM
'Do the Québécois form an independent nation? The answer is no,' Harper adds
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 | 3:25 PM ET
CBC News
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has waded into the controversial issue of Quebec nationhood, saying he will introduce a motion recognizing that Quebecers form a nation "within a united Canada."
"Our position is clear. Do the Québécois form a nation within Canada? The answer is yes. Do the Québécois form an independent nation? The answer is no and the answer will always be no," Harper told the House on Wednesday.
Harper's motion ― which states that "this House recognizes that Québécois form a nation within a united Canada ― was prompted to diffuse a Bloc Québécois motion to be debated Thursday. The Bloc motion calls for Quebec to be recognized as a nation but does not include the words "in Canada."
Harper said the issue of Quebec's nationhood should not be decided by the federal government but by the Quebec legislation. However, he said the Bloc has forced the government to take a position.
"The Bloc Québécois has asked us to define this, and perhaps that's a good thing because it reminds us that all Canadians have a say in the future of this country," Harper said.
The Tories had earlier said they will oppose the Bloc motion. Some Liberals had said they'll support it because they believe it merely states the obvious.
But others warned that it was too vague and open to interpretation.
Harper said the intent of Bloc motion is clear: "It's not to recognize what Quebecers are, but what sovereigntists would like them to be.
"For the Bloc, it's not as matter of Quebec as a nation ― the National Assembly has already pronounced itself on that. It's about separation. For them, 'nation' means 'separation."'
Liberals suggest they'll support government's motion
Interim Liberal Leader Bill Graham indicated his party would support the Prime Minister's motion in the House, saying they will work to "adopt a solution that respects Quebec and Quebecers."
"It is the duty of members of this House to give them that hope; it is the duty for us to transcend whatever partisan ambitions we have in order to inspire not only Canadians but [also] other people in the world."
He said later that his MPs will meet Thursday to discuss the motion and he expressed confidence they will unite behind it. But at least one, Jim Karygiannis, said he would oppose it.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said his party would support both the government and the Bloc motions.
But Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe rejected Harper's motion on Quebec's nationhood outright, saying it meant Quebecers would only be recognized as a nation if they stayed within Canada.
The long-simmering issue first hit the headlines again in October, when the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal party voted to recognize Quebec as a nation in Canada.
The issue immediately caused controversy within the party, as various Liberal leadership contenders either weighed in on the matter or urged party members not to let it dominate the race before the December convention.
Quebec issue has divided Liberal leadership race
In his platform, Liberal leadership contender Michael Ignatieff contends that Quebecers' language, history, culture and territory mark "them out as a separate people" who should be recognized as a nation.
He also said that recognition, as well as the recognition of aboriginal first nations, should eventually be enshrined in the Constitution.
But other leadership candidates, including Bob Rae and Stéphane Dion, have argued against the position.
Rae said the party shouldn't reopen constitutional questions and Dion has said the province's status is a "symbolic" question and shouldn't divert attention from real issues.
Earlier Wednesday, Graham met with the leadership contenders to try and diffuse the issue of Quebec's nationhood, but nothing was resolved.
Observers say that Harper's motion could actually help Ignatieff out, but the leadership contender said he doubted the prime minister had him in mind when the proposal was changed.
He said he saluted what the prime minister did but added that he's "sure Mr. Harper is not in the business of throwing me any life jackets at all. We are political adversaries, we will always be political adversaries," he said after Harper spoke.
'Do the Québécois form an independent nation? The answer is no,' Harper adds
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 | 3:25 PM ET
CBC News
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has waded into the controversial issue of Quebec nationhood, saying he will introduce a motion recognizing that Quebecers form a nation "within a united Canada."
"Our position is clear. Do the Québécois form a nation within Canada? The answer is yes. Do the Québécois form an independent nation? The answer is no and the answer will always be no," Harper told the House on Wednesday.
Harper's motion ― which states that "this House recognizes that Québécois form a nation within a united Canada ― was prompted to diffuse a Bloc Québécois motion to be debated Thursday. The Bloc motion calls for Quebec to be recognized as a nation but does not include the words "in Canada."
Harper said the issue of Quebec's nationhood should not be decided by the federal government but by the Quebec legislation. However, he said the Bloc has forced the government to take a position.
"The Bloc Québécois has asked us to define this, and perhaps that's a good thing because it reminds us that all Canadians have a say in the future of this country," Harper said.
The Tories had earlier said they will oppose the Bloc motion. Some Liberals had said they'll support it because they believe it merely states the obvious.
But others warned that it was too vague and open to interpretation.
Harper said the intent of Bloc motion is clear: "It's not to recognize what Quebecers are, but what sovereigntists would like them to be.
"For the Bloc, it's not as matter of Quebec as a nation ― the National Assembly has already pronounced itself on that. It's about separation. For them, 'nation' means 'separation."'
Liberals suggest they'll support government's motion
Interim Liberal Leader Bill Graham indicated his party would support the Prime Minister's motion in the House, saying they will work to "adopt a solution that respects Quebec and Quebecers."
"It is the duty of members of this House to give them that hope; it is the duty for us to transcend whatever partisan ambitions we have in order to inspire not only Canadians but [also] other people in the world."
He said later that his MPs will meet Thursday to discuss the motion and he expressed confidence they will unite behind it. But at least one, Jim Karygiannis, said he would oppose it.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said his party would support both the government and the Bloc motions.
But Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe rejected Harper's motion on Quebec's nationhood outright, saying it meant Quebecers would only be recognized as a nation if they stayed within Canada.
The long-simmering issue first hit the headlines again in October, when the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal party voted to recognize Quebec as a nation in Canada.
The issue immediately caused controversy within the party, as various Liberal leadership contenders either weighed in on the matter or urged party members not to let it dominate the race before the December convention.
Quebec issue has divided Liberal leadership race
In his platform, Liberal leadership contender Michael Ignatieff contends that Quebecers' language, history, culture and territory mark "them out as a separate people" who should be recognized as a nation.
He also said that recognition, as well as the recognition of aboriginal first nations, should eventually be enshrined in the Constitution.
But other leadership candidates, including Bob Rae and Stéphane Dion, have argued against the position.
Rae said the party shouldn't reopen constitutional questions and Dion has said the province's status is a "symbolic" question and shouldn't divert attention from real issues.
Earlier Wednesday, Graham met with the leadership contenders to try and diffuse the issue of Quebec's nationhood, but nothing was resolved.
Observers say that Harper's motion could actually help Ignatieff out, but the leadership contender said he doubted the prime minister had him in mind when the proposal was changed.
He said he saluted what the prime minister did but added that he's "sure Mr. Harper is not in the business of throwing me any life jackets at all. We are political adversaries, we will always be political adversaries," he said after Harper spoke.
