Mr. Speaker, government officials, whether municipal, provincial or federal, are elected to represent their constituents. Both the Parti Quebecois and Bloc Quebecois do not seem to agree with this. Their idea of a referendum is not to find out what the people of Quebec want but rather how to force them into accepting separation.
Now the PQ and BQ want to water down the question so the issue remains unsettled. This presents a problem for all Canadians, including those in Quebec. Uncertainty is causing interest rates to rise, the dollar to fall and international credit to be re-examined. It is also likely to be partly responsible for the Liberal's failure to properly deal with the deficit for fear of upsetting Quebec.
If the Parti Quebecois does not call the referendum with a clear question on separation within its own 1995 timetable, I call on the Prime Minister to hold a federal referendum in Quebec to settle this issue by year's end. This uncertainty must not continue.