Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Bloc Quebecois showed us once again that its talents lie more in the politics of showmanship than in dialogue. The reference of the question of a unilateral declaration of independence to the Supreme Court surely does not merit such a frenzied spectacle from the Bloc Quebecois.
The sole purpose of our government's decision is to demystify the concept put forward by the separatists that Quebec has the right to unilaterally declare its independence.
We are in no way denying the right of the government of Quebec to organize a consultative referendum on the future of Quebec. We merely wish to avoid having any future unilateral declaration of independence by the government of Quebec take place in confusion and chaos.
We believe that the interest of the people of Quebec must come before the separatists' partisan interests. We urge the Bloc Quebecois to co-operate in this important process of clarification.