Mr. Speaker, first of all I made it very clear at the outset of my remarks, as did the Reform Party, in its dissenting opinion that we recognize there is virtually unanimous consensus in Quebec for the creation of linguistic school boards.
I said that half a dozen times in my speech. I agreed to that statement being included in the majority report. The evidence is clear. There is virtually a unanimous consensus in favour of linguistic school boards.
However, that has nothing to do with section 93. This is, frankly, the unintentional duplicity of the proponents of this amendment failing to recognize that linguistic school boards is one question and section 93 is an entirely different question.
Does the hon. member opposite not recognize that in 1993 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in a reference from the Quebec government that then Bill 107, substantially the same as Bill 109, the now Quebec education act which established linguistic school boards, was completely consistent with the protections afforded by section 93.
In fact, the Quebec government is already establishing these linguistic school boards. Witnesses from Alliance Quebec, from Catholic groups, from Protestant groups who appeared before us said that they do not object to linguistic school boards. The government is implementing them. That is fine, but that has nothing to do with section 93.
Why can we not maintain the protections afforded by section 93 given to us by our ancestors and, at the same time, modernize the school system by consolidating linguistic groups into linguistic boards?
That is the challenge that this government has not answered. It is possible to do both. Given a choice, this Parliament ought to opt for protecting minority rights when other policy objectives like the establishment of linguistic school boards can be achieved at the same time.
In response to the member's last question, I said at the end of my remarks that I would strongly support, as virtually every group that appeared before the committee in opposition to the amendment would support, an amendment to section 93 which would broaden the constitutional rights guaranteed therein to all denominational and religious groups.
The point is that no minority's interests are served, no one's rights are protected by removing rights from some people. Instead of crushing section 93 and the rights that exist for the large majority of Quebeckers to access confessional education, why not broaden it so that yes, people of other faiths have a constitutional guarantee to publicly funded religious education that does not depend on the political whim of the legislature at any given moment.