Mr. Speaker, some journalists and some members opposite claim I have treated French Canadians as second class citizens.
What I said had already been said by the Fédération culturelle canadienne-française in its criticism of the federal government's unfair treatment of francophone culture. The Fédération said: “We must reject this treatment as second class citizens too long accorded us by governments”.
I say that, if francophone Liberals are happy that there is no longer a francophone hospital west of the Outaouais region and if they are happy that health services are not available in French in British Columbia, they are happy being treated as second class citizens.
The 600,000 people outside Quebec who still speak French need a party to represent them and not one that kowtows to the majority. They can count on my support.