Madam Speaker, on November 8 the member for Chicoutimi asked the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs about the mandate of the cabinet committee on unity.
The minister replied that the committee was going to look at all the possibilities for constitutional and administrative changes in the federation.
The member further asked if the minister could inform the House whether the committee would look at options, such as a resolution to recognize Quebec's distinct character, as well as a bill on regional referendums.
The minister responded that the commitments made by the Prime Minister during the campaign concerning a distinct society and constitutional veto for Quebec will be fulfilled.
The initiatives announced today by the Prime Minister represent a ground breaking and effective way of achieving a major constitutional objective without reopening the Constitution, since Lucien Bouchard and the PQ government have stated clearly and repeatedly that they were not interested in constitutional change.
Our legislation on the right of veto ensures that we will not make any constitutional change Quebec does not want. We must not let the intransigence of Lucien Bouchard and of the Quebec government impede the adoption of non-constitutional changes, changes the people of Quebec and of other Canadian regions are looking forward to.
The results of the October 30 referendum have shown the clear desire of Quebecers to remain within Canada, a country that they have helped to build into the tolerant, compassionate society we know today.
At the same time, the referendum has signalled that Quebecers and many other Canadians are looking for changes within the federation that will make the government more responsive to the needs of Canadians.