Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to make a comment and also to put a question to the hon. member for Saint-Denis.
She stated that measures in the budget are important. I certainly understand that comment and the arguments she has made to support that position.
The question I would like to ask the hon. member relates to a motion which was passed in the House of Commons on December 11, 1995, which gave some direction to the House. Has the government or she as a member of the Liberal government taken that motion into consideration in terms of support for the measures that are strong in this budget.
Just to remind the House, the wording of the resolution was:
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 traditions;
(3) the House undertake to be guided by this reality;
That is the operative part and the direction to this House and the item I would like the hon. member to comment on.
Third, I would like her to comment on this portion as well:
-the House encourage all components of the legislative-branches of government to take note of this recognition and be guided in their conduct accordingly.
Are we being guided?
The Prime Minister reinforced the direction to this House by saying: "Once it is passed this resolution will have an impact on how legislation is passed in the House of Commons". I would think that should apply to budgets as well. "I remind Canadians that the legislative branch will be bound by this resolution, as will be the executive branch. This is a real dynamic recognition recorded in the very heart of our country's government".
Today in an earlier ruling by the Speaker it was felt that this procedure did not have significance.
There was a directive of the House. We are talking about the budget of the country which is the framework on which many other decisions are made. Does the motion we passed, supported wholeheartedly by the government, have any affect on the budget?