Mr. Chairman, we come before you today to raise our concerns about a government decision whose consequences are so disturbing, that we find it hard to believe that the decision-makers gave any serious thought to its impact before making it.
The Harper government decision to abolish the Court Challenges Program has a direct negative impact on Canada's linguistic duality, a direct impact on the assimilation of minority francophones and, assuredly, over time, an impact on national unity.
It would be irresponsible and foolish to believe that the Government of Canada can disrespect linguistic minorities in such a way without undermining the very foundation of this country. The media tells us that this brilliant idea is owed to Prime Minister Harper's chief of staff. If this is true, what we have before us is a government of ideologues, not to say demagogues. Such a state of affairs is extremely troubling to Canadians.
Narrow-minded ideology, unrestrained demagogy, have never contributed to building today's Canada, and in fact are the ideal recipe for its eventual dissolution. We are told that this demagogy is taken from a certain text published by the said chief of staff of the Prime Minister, a book in which he maintains that it is ridiculous for the government to give money to those Canadians who want to bring it to court. Such warped logic is such a distortion of reality that it is scary.
First of all, when a minority decides to bring the government before the courts, it does so because it is convinced that this government is breaking the law, usually the Constitution of Canada or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This means that the direct effect of the Harper government's action is to give itself the power to break the Constitution of the country without anybody being able to contest it legally, the financial burden being too great.
Second, when a minority decides to seek the help of the courts it is always as a solution of last resort, which means it has tried to make the government understand through every other legitimate means.
Third, if by chance a minority manages to raise enough money to dare go before the courts, the government defends itself with our money. How many millions did Ontario taxpayers pay to cover the Harris government's legal costs, and all this to bite the dust miserably twice?
The Franco-Ontarian community and the Montfort Hospital did not waste taxpayers' money in legal costs. We upheld the law of the land. But the Harris government did exactly that, and any government in the country will do precisely the same thing without any hesitation or obstacle the next time it happens.
What the Harper government is asking us to accept, however, exceeds in its deceit what any other government may have done in the past. They are telling Canadians that they have a monopoly on all power, on all truth, and on all rights. Let ordinary people fend for themselves.
This is not just a matter of cutting expenses. The Harper government is depriving the most vulnerable in our society of access to justice system. The forsaken of society are beaten down even lower in the social order. This is not the Canadian way to do things. It is not just shameful, it is a scandal. It goes against everything Canadians believe in, starting with access to justice for all.
I cannot remain silent on the role played by Treasury Board President, Mr. John Baird, in this affair. If anybody should know the impact, not to say the illegality, of depriving the francophone minority of such an essential tool, it must be him. He happened to be the Minister of Francophone Affairs in Ontario, in the Mike Harris government, during the worst days of the Montfort crisis. In addition, it was only at the very end of this five-year struggle that he finally sided with the Franco-Ontarian minority.
Allow us to doubt his sincerity, then and now. I will tell you about an exchange I had with Mr. Baird back then. I have never spoken about it publicly before. And I regret having to do so today, but he leaves me no choice.
The day before the Harris government was to announce it would not seek leave to appeal before the Supreme Court of Canada, Mr. Baird called me at home. During that brief conversation he kept saying "Gisèle, we have to turn the page" on the events of the previous five years. He repeated that phrase several times. The action he took today as President of the Treasury Board shows that he turned the page, but he certainly does not have the same book I have. The only conclusion we can draw from Mr. Baird's actions is that if he can't get the francophone minority one way, he will find another way to do so. There are many ways to kill a people!
It would be rather surprising to learn that this decision was imposed on Mr. Baird, judging by the ferocious defence he mounted for it in the House of Commons. The most deplorable aspect of his involvement is that once again, he is part of a government that seeks to score points with the electorate by attacking the most vulnerable in our society.
I dare say, however, that his government has radically misread the Canadian electorate. This is particularly true of Quebec voters. We suspect strongly that, in its cold calculations, the Harper government concluded that francophone Quebeckers would not oppose his decision since the Court Challenges Program protects its anglophone minority.
But Quebeckers see clearly. They understood right away that the real targets of this decision were their minority francophone brothers and sisters. And, as they rose thunderously to support Montfort, they will not forget this further injustice when the time comes to settle the score.
One thing is sure. We Franco-Ontarians will not let them forget it. We will work relentlessly in every riding, including Quebec, where the vote of francophones can make a difference. We will ask them to reject the government whose indifference is but veiled intolerance. An intolerance against the weakest. Mr. Harper governs by one rule only: might makes right. This requires no courage.
Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, we came to share the indignation of minority francophones in the face of this government's decision. We fully intend to fight this decision by all legitimate means possible. We ask that you wage this battle with us, and continue to speak out as eloquently as you have done in the House of Commons. We ask that you sensitize your voters to the true consequences of the Harper government decision, and that you do so until voting day.
Let me say a few words to those members of the party in power. Most of you, if not all of you, were probably not consulted by your government on this measure. We thank you for consulting us today.
We remind you that you are not powerless in this matter. You have influence within your caucus. And when the government is in the wrong, it is your duty, behind closed doors, to bring it back on course.
We hope that you will understand the true extent of the damage done to the francophone minority and to your own party, and that you will act in the best interest of linguistic duality, in the best interest of all Canadians and in accordance with Canada's Constitution.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.