Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment on some of the things the hon. member for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell said. He says the federal government has always made a point of defending the interests of Quebec. I have my doubts about that.
If ever a government chose to ignore the interests of Quebec, it is the Liberal government. Or should I say governments, to be as specific as the hon. member for Louis-Hébert, the successive governments under the Liberals.
People tell us: You have good representation in Ottawa, you have ministers from Quebec, you have a Prime Minister from Quebec. For more than 20 years, Canada's Prime Ministers have been Quebecers. The word window dressing comes to mind because, basically, has it done Quebec any good to have a prime minister or powerful cabinet ministers from Quebec in Ottawa? Did it prevent the implementation of the War Measures Act in 1970? Did it prevent the unilateral patriation of the Constitution in 1982? Did it prevent the demise of Meech Lake? What does
Quebec have to show for the fact that a number of federal cabinet ministers and prime ministers were from Quebec?