Mr. Speaker, when I suggested yesterday in reply to the throne speech that Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day should be celebrated across the country, it was precisely to recognize the fact that Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of all French-Canadians. It is Quebec's national holiday as well as a day of celebration for all Canadians who want to understand and associate themselves with the French fact in our country.
I invite the hon. member across the way to visit Hamilton in my riding on June 24 and I hope that she will do so, because I can assure her that, if the French community in my riding is celebrating Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day this year-as it has done for many years-it is precisely because we want to share in the pride of being French-Canadian here in this country.