Mr. Speaker, for the second time tonight I must express disagreement with the idol of my youth. He should not see it as a personal attack, far from it.
When the member for Vancouver Quadra tells us that the House of Commons is not the place to debate the Constitution, I have difficulty with that. I know, as he does, that traditionally, constitutional debates are held in the Chateau Laurier, and that real changes are made at night, between midnight and 6 a.m. This is where the 1982 Constitution was hatched, and René Lévesque was tricked, during what has been known since then as the night of the long knives. I know all this, the member for Vancouver Quadra is not telling me anything new. I am aware of this.
Except that, what were we doing here before Christmas, when we voted on the distinct society motion? What were doing and what was the government doing, the government of the member for Saint-Maurice, the little guy from Shawinigan who said during the referendum campaign that we could have administrative agreements? The leader of the official opposition in Quebec is building his career on administrative agreements. If they do not emanate from this Parliament, where are they coming from then?
I do not agree when they say that the House of Commons must not be the place where we do indirectly what cannot be done directly. I must remind the member for Vancouver Quadra that the few times we did act directly it would have been better for us to act indirectly, because the results were nothing to brag about. The member must not forget that the Quebec premier has not yet signed
the 1982 Constitution and the Quebec National Assembly has not ratified it.
I agree that fisheries, oceans, navigation, security and overview of marine areas come under federal jurisdiction so to speak. It is true and we do not deny it, the member is right. But, I am making a suggestion because, really, I am not convinced this is the way it should be.
Yesterday, I listened to the Prime Minister on the French network of the CBC; he was on the program Le Point . He was ready to do indirectly what the member just blamed us for trying to do. He was willing to conclude administrative agreements and to discuss these things here in the House. He was ready to accept anything yesterday. Before the cameras, the Prime Minister is always ready to accept anything and everything.