Mr. Speaker, I have a very simple question for the hon. member for Chicoutimi. He referred at length to the budget and to the connection he sees with the forthcoming referendum in Quebec.
Since he brought this up, I wonder whether the hon. member for Chicoutimi is in favour, as his leader seems to be, of changing the question for the referendum. The issue is relevant to this debate on the Budget, since he mentioned it himself. Furthermore, it creates a climate of uncertainty, as Premier Parizeau clearly admitted in his various speeches and statements on Parti Quebecois policy.
Considering the impact of this issue on the economy of the country and on the budgetary process, I would like to know whether the hon. member for Chicoutimi personally favours changing the question, or whether he would agree that this is a lot of window dressing, in other words, an attempt to manipulate the electorate. The option has not changed. It is still the same. The option is independence or federalism, and as far as I know that has not changed; but as far as change in the referendum question is concerned, we can expect, or at least we have the impression that there is some trickery afoot. I would be interested to hear the hon. member's position on this matter.