In the context of the survey I reported on, there really wasn't much scope for us to try to poll ideas in that context, because when we were doing the survey we hadn't given people much preparation to think about this. The survey really was trying to capture some initial reaction and response to the event, what had happened, and what they might like to see. I think this is really where further research would need to be done, for which you could give people some background and then probe ideas.
My only comment or perhaps recommendation to this committee with regard to planning and speaking to the question just a bit is that I think it would probably be important to focus the celebration and the vision on what Canada is today and on looking forward in terms of the legacy rather than focusing so much on history and looking back 150 years and saying we're celebrating the history of Canada and everything that has come up to this point. Obviously there are different viewpoints and different experiences and divisions in this country if you look at it historically. I suppose there might be some danger that people would look at this and interpret it as though we were celebrating the history of what's happened. That may reflect to some extent why people in Quebec might be less enthusiastic about the prospect of this sesquicentennial than others would be.
The talk about legacy is about the future. And according to this survey and other surveys that we have done, the things people are proud about in Canada are not historical and old but really reflect Canada's reality today--multiculturalism, tolerance of others--things like that really reflect the current Canada. I suspect that if the focus is on the current reality and the future, then the inclusion of other groups across the country might be easier to accomplish.