Mr. Speaker, at last, it is my turn to speak. We have heard about every kind of statement that could possibly be made and it is obvious that members present things the way it suits them. For example, it was said that there was a referendum but that the participation was not high enough, it was summer time and so on and so forth. Yes, there was a referendum. Democracy was respected since everybody was allowed to vote.
Now, if only 52 per cent of eligible voters did vote, it means that only 52 per cent were interested enough to vote on that issue, nothing more. A referendum must not be judged according to the number of people who vote. Was the referendum a democratic process? Yes, if all conditions were respected, if everything that is possible was done to have everybody on the list of voters, if all the polls were in place and if they were manned with sufficient staff to enable people to vote. That is what democracy is. It is not about the number of people having voted. With a 94 per cent participation, the referendum in Quebec was no more or less important than this one. It has nothing to do with it. What is important is the people who do vote, nothing else. What is important is that the people who want to vote are able to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I forgot to advise you that, from now on, Bloc members will share their 20-minute periods between them.
I heard the member for Carleton-Gloucester who spoke this afternoon. I am very happy to see that he is back on his feet, but I think the Chair should check the blues to see exactly what the member said. He tried to go after everyone and insulted all the members of this House. The words he used in the House cannot even be repeated. I think what is also important to see is an attempt toclaim that protection is being sought for minority rights. But I say to someone who protected minority rights, our colleague who became an independent member has added an amendment saying: "where numbers warrant". So, he has just limited the minority rights of francophones.
What has been debated in the House for a few hours is the attempt to protect religion. Let us talk clearly about what we want to protect, that is, religious rights in Newfoundland. Simply put, we have no business in Newfoundland affairs. Section 43 that says how the Constitution may be amended.
In this section, the process for amending the Constitution is outlined. The Newfoundland legislature expressed its opinion twice: once by a majority and, in all parties, there were members opposed to the motion, and recently, by an unanimous vote. The premier was accompanied by the opposition leader and the leader of the third party when he came to do his lobbying. Was there better lobbying in Canada recently? Usually lobbyists hide. The premier gave press conferences. He brought all his people with him. Why? Because he finds it extremely important for his province to be able to manage its education system. We have no business in there. He has met the terms of section 43.
This afternoon, the member for Carleton-Gloucester said that there had been no consultation. There was a royal commission which issued its report and recommendations in 1992. As we know the churches are usually on the conservative side, and when the government tried in 1992 to negotiate with church leaders and see how they were going to implement the recommendations, these leaders decided not to take part in the modernization of the system in Newfoundland. The government then changed its mind and decided to request an amendment under section 43. Moreover, it added a referendum.
I believe, as the justice minister himself was saying, that we must make an informed decision, and I do hope that the Holy Spirit will be at work until we vote, because some members need more help than others in this respect.
If we look at the situation, we understand that since 1723, when schools were first established in Newfoundland, they have always been run by churches. It is obvious that in 1996, 250 years later, churches will have to make a decision, either to withdraw-this reminds me that when we, in Quebec, asked the council-