Mr. Speaker, Wilfrid Laurier was elected Prime Minister of Canada in June. A Liberal, he is filled with enthusiasm and determination. That was 100 years ago, in 1896.
He used to say how proud he was to be French-Canadian. And it is this pride I found in Vancouver when I met with British Columbia's francophone community in mid-October.
The 70,000 francophones living in B.C. need our help. We must help them get the access they need to French-language radio and television programming.
It is this pride to be French-Canadian they are demanding. I join with my Liberal friends, my Bloc colleagues, I am sure, and my friend, the hon. member for Beauce, in calling on Heritage Canada to set aside a special budget for B.C.-oriented programming.
Wilfrid Laurier, we salute you and assure you that the 1 million French-Canadians outside Quebec have a strong voice in this Parliament.