moved for leave to introduce Bill C-271, an act respecting the territorial integrity of Canada.
Madam Speaker, I have the honour and privilege once again to rise on behalf of the people of Surrey Central to introduce my private member's bill entitled “Reform's territorial protection act”.
This bill seeks to protect the territorial integrity of our country. The purpose of this enactment is to affirm Canada's sovereign indivisibility. The Constitution of Canada forms a federal state that is one and indivisible. This serves the interests of all Canadians. My bill is based on the fact that there is no provision in our Constitution for the withdrawal from the federation of a province or a territory.
The good people of Surrey Central whom I represent with honour want to accomplish three things within this bill.
First of all, we want to ensure that the Canadian federation may not be deprived of any part of Canada's territory except with Canada's consent, by due process of constitutional amendment.
Second, we want to ensure that no province or territory may unilaterally withdraw from the federation.
Finally, we want to ensure that no province or territory either unilaterally or in conjunction with any other province or territory can attempt to or declare its intention to secede from the federation and form a separate state.
My constituents and I believe that Canada is constitutionally sovereign and indivisible. We feel strongly that no province or territory shall initiate, authorize, sponsor or permit a referendum to be held on any question purporting to seek a mandate for withdrawal or indeed the intent to withdraw from our federation without the federation's consent.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)