Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
I was wondering if the estimates that have just been tabled are in order considering a motion that was passed by this House approximately one year ago. This motion gave direction to this House as well as to components of the legislative branches of government.
Today in raising this matter, I think it is the first time that the motion could be put in its context and be applied to the business of the House and in this case, the business of supply.
To remind us, back on December 11, 1995, we passed a motion in this House of Commons that reads in part as follows:
Whereas the people of Quebec have expressed the desire for recognition of Quebec's distinct society;
(2) the House recognize that Quebec's distinct society includes its French-speaking majority, unique culture and civil law tradition;
(3) the House undertake to be guided by this reality;
Mr. Speaker, that is the part of the resolution which I want you to take under consideration, "that the House undertake to be guided by this reality".
The fourth part reads:
(4) the House encourage all components of the legislative and executive branches of government to take note of this recognition and be guided in their conduct accordingly.
Mr. Speaker, that is the item I am raising in this point of order, as to whether this motion has been considered in the process of determining the presentation of supply to the House. Mr. Speaker, I refer you to Beauchesne's sixth edition, citation 553:
Every question when agreed to assumes the form either of an order or a resolution of the House. By its orders the House directs its committees, its Members, its officers, the order of its own proceedings and the acts of all persons they concern;
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask if you considered what the motion's procedural significance had on the receivability of the supply here today and would have on other bills, motions, amendments, questions and other proceedings that are going to be placed before the House. If you read the motion that was passed by this House as I did, the government and this House must take the reality that Quebec is a distinct society into consideration in all that they do.
On page 16972 of Hansard , the Prime Minister tried to clarify the motion when he said to us in this assembly:
Once it is passed, this resolution will have an impact on how legislation is passed in the House of Commons. I remind Canadians that the legislative branch will be bound by this resolution, as will be the executive branch.
Today the minister is a representative of the executive branch.
This is a real, dynamic recognition, recorded in the very heart of our country's government.
Considering that the distinct society motion has been in effect for over a year, those so ordered by this House have had sufficient time to take the reality that Quebec is a distinct society into consideration when planning budgets and drafting bills, including any change as to how the proceedings of this House conform to that order.
It is our responsibility at this time to ask those so ordered by this House how they have considered the motion. You, Mr. Speaker, by virtue of this motion have been ordered to do so. The minister who just tabled the estimates has been so ordered. While under those orders did he confer upon Quebec any rights, any privileges or benefits not conferred upon the other provinces of Canada? That is a very key question.
In conclusion, many Canadians agree that Quebec is a distinct society. However, they are concerned with the impact it would have on them if it were entrenched in the Constitution. They are also concerned with having this reality, as the Prime Minister described it, recorded-