My congratulations also to all of the men and women of Quebec who took part in yesterday's referendum. The issue presented to them was the choice of a country.
On both sides of the issue, our fellow Quebecers in all regions behaved with dignity and honesty, respecting others' opinions, and maintaining complete calm.
There is no doubt about it, the federal government and its crown corporations, the major Canadian carriers and the telephone companies in the anglophone provinces made major illegal contributions to the no side, illegally.
But the profoundly democratic character of the Quebec referendum process belongs to us all, to all Quebecers, and we should all be proud of this. No one can take away that pride. Building serenely upon that foundation we shall continue the struggle of the Quebec people toward sovereignty.